Co Antrim newlyweds Kevin and Tracey raise £7,200 for Air Ambulance NI on wedding day!

Kevin and Tracey McAuley at their wedding in Holy Trinity Church, Ballycastle

In a heartwarming celebration of love and generosity, Ballycastle’s Kevin McAuley, of McAuley Multimedia, and Tracey Roberts, an accountant from Manchester, turned their wedding day into a life-saving gesture—raising an incredible £7,200 for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland (AANI).

The couple, who tied the knot on 16 August surrounded by family and friends in the picturesque coastal town of Ballycastle, asked guests to skip traditional wedding gifts and instead make donations to the air ambulance charity.

“The response was overwhelming,” said Kevin and Tracey. “A great day was had by everyone. We were truly blown away by the generosity of all who donated.”

Their selfless act reflects a powerful spirit of community and compassion that resonated deeply with those who attended.

A visit to Air Ambulance NI headquarters

Kevin and Tracey McAuley present a cheque for £7,200 to Katrina Hughes from AANI

To personally deliver the donation, Kevin and Tracey recently visited the Air Ambulance Northern Ireland headquarters in Lisburn, where they met Katrina Hughes, the charity’s local fundraising manager.

While they narrowly missed meeting the medical team—who were called out on an emergency mission just as they arrived—the couple had the chance to view one of the charity’s iconic red helicopters and learn more about the vital work carried out by the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS).

Katrina Hughes accepted the cheque on behalf of the organisation, expressing deep gratitude to the newlyweds for their generosity.

“On behalf of Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, please accept our sincere thanks for your donation of £7,200. This incredible total will help to save lives across Northern Ireland and support those in urgent need of pre-hospital emergency care,” she said.

A lifesaving service for Northern Ireland

Air Ambulance NI operates in partnership with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, providing the HEMS that delivers critical medical support to patients across the region.

The service runs seven days a week for 12 hours a day, ensuring that help can reach any part of Northern Ireland within 25 minutes. Since its launch in 2017, the service has been tasked more than 5,000 times, offering rapid intervention to those in greatest need.

Kevin and Tracey’s generous donation will directly support these lifesaving missions—helping the charity continue its vital work for communities across Northern Ireland.

Their act of kindness serves as a beautiful reminder of how love, generosity and community spirit can come together to make a meaningful difference.