The chairman of a Yorkshire charity serving five million people every year is to retire after almost two decades. 

Peter Sunderland joined the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) in 2004 and is now the charity’s chairman and trustee.

At the end of June Peter, who is from Huddersfield, will officially retire from the roles.

Peter first joined the YAA after retiring from his role at the RMC Group PLC, where he worked for over 27 years as one of their UK directors.

He brought with him a wealth of experience, which he championed in the new role.

In 2006 he became chairman and has since led the transformation of the charity into the successful organisation it is today.

In 2007 Peter was appointed a deputy lieutenant of West Yorkshire and was awarded an MBE by HM Queen Elizabeth II in 2016 for ‘Voluntary service to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and the community in West Yorkshire’.

Charity was a 'very different' organisation when Peter joined in 2004

He said now is the right time to step down from the role.

“When I first joined the YAA in 2004 it was a very different organisation from the one that it is today.

“We had one leased Bolkow helicopter that operated from a Portakabin at Leeds Bradford airport.

“The administration was carried out from a small office in Dean Clough Mills in Halifax.

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“Income from donations was very small and hardly covered our costs.

“A different situation from the very robust and stable position that the charity finds itself in today, and I am so very proud of how the YAA has evolved over the years.

“It has truly been a team effort.”

Peter has led many important milestones over the years including purchasing helicopters, developing the two air bases at Nostell and Topcliffe, and gaining the charity’s own Air Operators Certificate – the first of its kind at the time.

Peter has been 'the pillar' of YAA

Abby Barmby, director of marketing and communications added “Peter has truly been the pillar of YAA for nearly 20 years now and will be greatly missed by us all.

“His caring, yet professional leadership combined with extensive business experience proved invaluable in driving a clear vision, purpose, and strategy for the charity over the last nearly twenty years.

“He really has made YAA the respected organisation it is, not just as our chairman but as a true ambassador too -a legacy we will all carry forward.

“On behalf of everyone at YAA we’d like to express our heartfelt thanks to both Peter and his wife Margaret who has been a wonderful support to him over the years.

“We are indebted to them for all they have done for the charity during Peter’s tenure as chairman.”

When Peter stands down vice-chairman Mike Harrop will step into the role of chairman from the beginning of July.

For further information about YAA, visit www.yaa.org.uk