A Chester firm has raised thousands of pounds for two charities.

Employees at Ellis Whittam, supplying employment law and health and safety services to UK employers, have presented one cheque for more than £4,000 to the North West Air Ambulance and another to the NSPCC.

The money for the NSPCC was received by Dame Esther Rantzen at an event in Liverpool to celebrate the 30th birthday of child protection charity Childline, which merged with the NSPCC in 2006.

Chair of BREWS the Ellis Whittam colleague committee Josephine Mann and founder of Childline Dame Esther Rantzen

NSPCC fundraising coordinator for the North West, Janette Drew, said: “We’d really like to thank the staff at Ellis Whittam for their kind and generous donation towards the work we do at the NSPCC.

“It’s great to hear the staff put together some really imaginative fundraising ideas – with everything from bake sales to dress-down days and Come Dine With Me style events – and we hope they had a huge amount of fun along the way.

“£4,115 is a fantastic amount and will allow us to help even more children when they need us the most – and to teach children how to keep themselves and other young people safe through our schools service.”

Gillian Edwards, of the NWAA, said: “We are so grateful for the support of Ellis Whittam; this donation of £4,115, as a result of their fundraising, is absolutely marvellous. As a charity which is totally reliant on donations to stay operational, contributions like these are vital for us to continue our life-saving work across the North West.”

The North West Air Ambulance is one of 18 air ambulance charities in the UK, none of which are government funded.

Ellis Whittam colleague committee (BREWS) with Gillian Edwards from North West Air Ambulance

The Ellis Whittam colleagues have run a series of fundraising events over the last year to raise money including sweepstakes, dress down days, car washes, bake-offs and auctions.

Josephine Mann, speaking on behalf of Ellis Whittam’s colleague forum, said: “Colleagues at EW are absolutely thrilled to have raised such an amazing amount for such worthy causes.

“We are delighted knowing that our hard work raising this money will help to save so many lives.

“Every year, colleagues choose a local and national charity for us to support so we were overjoyed to provide an additional cheque for £4,115 to the NSPCC in addition to NWAA.”