WORKING for the East Anglian Air Ambulance means Nicky Wright gets to see first hand the difference the vital service makes, which is why she's put on her running shoes to raise money for the charity.

WORKING for the East Anglian Air Ambulance means Nicky Wright gets to see first hand the difference the vital service makes, which is why she's put on her running shoes to raise money for the charity.

She's taking part in the London Marathon on April 22 and hoping to give a real boost to the air ambulance funds.

And Miss Wright, of Tanner's View, Ipswich, said she was also inspired to take on the challenge after she reached the milestone of turning 30-years-old last Thursday.

She said: “I work for the charity but I haven't raised funds for them before so this was something I wanted to do.

“I get to meet a lot of the people we treat and so really see how important the service is.

“I talk to them after they are rescued and sometimes it makes me overwhelmed.

“I'm especially touched when we airlift children and it's a happy ending that really gets me going.

“And because we're an emergency service what we do is for everyone, all types of people could need our help at some point.”

So Miss Wright is hoping to collect at least £1,300 for the charity where she works as the Suffolk fundraising co-coordinator.

She said: “I'm looking forward to running the marathon now, especially as I'm doing it for a cause that is so important.

“And I decided to do it as I was coming up to my 30th birthday as I just felt inspired to take on the challenge to mark the milestone.”

She has spending hours in training for the challenge around the streets and paths of Ipswich - and hoping to complete the 26 miles next month.