BUSINESSES across Wiltshire have chosen Wiltshire Air Ambulance as their 2019 charity of the year.

Estate agency Expert Agent, Kavanaghs, and race organiser DB Max will support the vital service.

They will help by hosting staff fundraising events, as well as giving a percentage from all fees raised.

The charity needs £3.25 million to keep flying 365 days a year. It operates for up to 19 hours a day.

Fundraising manager at WAA Beth Gardner said: “We’re delighted that Kavanaghs, Expert Agent and DB Max have chosen us to support.

“Business support from across Wiltshire plays a key role in keeping our air ambulance flying and saving lives, so to have three companies agreeing to back us for 2019 already is fantastic.

“We look forward to working closely with the three companies on their fundraising efforts, which I’m sure will provide huge benefits for their staff and customers alike.”

Verity Stanford-Tuck, senior product consultant of Expert Agent, said: “So many people across the county have had Wiltshire Air Ambulance come to their aid, and the Expert Agent team are not an exception.

“On Christmas Day 2009 one of our long-standing members of staff suffered a stroke, and within seven minutes Wiltshire Air Ambulance had come to their rescue.

“As with the wider community, many of the rest of the team have had loved ones attended to by the charity, and the treatment they deliver really does make all the difference in the world.”