MONEY raised in memory of a motorcycling enthusiast who died in a tragic accident has gone to charity.
Holmfirth company GE Griffiths raised £1,625 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance following the death of Graham Chaplin last May.
Graham, who was 30, died at a hospital in Sheffield after an accident on the A57 Manchester to Sheffield road at Bamford, near Ladybower Reservoir in Derbyshire.
The studio designer, who lived in Golcar, was flown to the hospital by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
The incident was later featured on BBC series Helicopter Heroes, featuring Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond.
It profiled the vital work done by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Graham’s stepfather, Peter Swallow, who works at GE Griffiths, asked the company to organise a raffle and auction at its 60th anniversary dinner.
All the proceeds from the dinner went to the charity.
Mr Swallow said: “The BBC arranged for us to go and meet the crew after what happened.
“It was then that it really hit us what went into helping Graham.
“It’s a service that’s there for anyone at any time, but we never thought about them until we needed their help. We wanted to highlight the amazing work they do.”
The money raised by GE Griffiths was added to £800 raised from Graham’s funeral that also went to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Further fundraisers by Graham’s parents, Janet Swallow and Stuart Chaplin, have also raised hundreds of pounds.
