A group of ‘busy’ landlords will be stepping away from their bars and heading 3,500 feet up Yr Wyddfa to help raise funds for Wales Air Ambulance.

The Welsh-arm of Marston’s has chosen the lifesaving service as its Charity partner for 2025 to 2026.

Ross Gurney, 44, manages eighteen pubs across a big area, which takes in Carmarthen, to Haverfordwest, St Davids to Aberystwyth and onwards to Tywyn.

He is also the company’s Charity fundraising lead for West Wales and the North-West Wales region, supporting eighteen pubs.

Ross said: “Wales Air Ambulance is such a vital service, and I know from listening to our pub managers, that it means so much to those living in their local communities.

“We have heard, time and time again from customers, friends and neighbours the difference it makes to those it attends.

“The summer is such a busy time for us.

“We see an influx of visitors to the area, so it has even more importance and value.”

Marston’s and its partners have placed collection boxes on their bars and introduced a Wales Air Ambulance donate button on their tills at their public houses and restaurants.

Ross says people have been ‘very generous’ and ‘often’ share their experiences of the lifesaving service.

He added: “It’s very inspiring when you hear about the work of Wales Air Ambulance, it makes you want to do more.

“We often have quiz and bingo nights, which are very popular, but as a team we want to do something more impactful, that will bring in a larger amount of money.

“Throughout July and August our staff are flat out but hopefully more customers will translate into more sponsors for our hiking challenge this autumn.

“Our staff are far and wide, so when the children go back to school, in September, we’ll come together and hopefully make a lifesaving difference up Snowdon!”

The Wales Air Ambulance Charity relies on public donations to raise the £13m required every year to keep the helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road.

The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the Charity’s vehicles.

This advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident.

With 121 pubs, the Welsh arm of Marston’s hope to raise enough funds to cover the cost of 15 lifesaving missions.

It has also rallied its pub partners to fundraise for the charity.

Ross said: “As a company we are working towards raising £50,000 for Wales Air Ambulance in celebration of its 25th anniversary.

“Marston’s is very good at motivating people, to work towards a common goal, there is a really strong team ethos.

“In hospitality, there's a sense of fun and community, it underpins everything that we do.”

“We've already had some relatively humorous messages in WhatsApp, some people asking: ‘Can we take the train to the top of Snowdon, does that count?’ Obviously, we are all walking it.

“But we want it to be fun and the next few months we will spend preparing everyone to ensure they are fit for the challenge.”

Ross who is an outdoor lover, and regularly keeps fit says, ‘this is not a race’.

He said: “The aim is to get everyone safely up the mountain.

“We have joked, we want to raise funds for Wales Air Ambulance and not for the helicopter to have to come to our aid.

“So, I hope everyone will start building up their steps over the next few months, so they are ready for the challenge.”

Nina Rice, Head of Fundraising – High Value Partnerships said: “We are hugely grateful to the whole of the Marston’s team for their passion and dedication to raising as much as they can for our lifesaving service.

“Over the past few months, they have taken on a variety of fundraising activities and are very much on course to hit their incredible target.

“Once the busy summer spell is over, and the children are back at school, we’ll be championing all those who are taking on Snowdon.

“It’s no easy feat, so we wish Ross and all the managers taking part the very best.”