Crickhowell High School is organising its inaugural memorial rugby match to raise funds for the Wales Air Ambulance Charity, following the tragic death of a staff member’s son.

Will Bush, a beloved son, brother, and boyfriend, tragically died on Christmas Eve 2023, shortly after starting a new job. In his memory, the school community, led by headteacher Claire Jones, has come together to support the lifesaving work of the Wales Air Ambulance, a service that provides critical care and transportation to patients in need.

Ms Jones said: “The charity is exceptional in the work it does. It helps so many people throughout Wales each year.

“We have a staff member whose son died in tragic circumstances within the last year-and-a-half.

“Our school community is very close, and we wanted to give back to the service, as a way of saying thank you for the work it does daily.”

To date, the school has raised more than £1,000 for the charity through various events, including a staff cyclothon and non-uniform days. The school has also used assemblies to educate students about the charity’s vital role in providing hospital-standard care at the scene of an emergency.

The upcoming rugby match will see Crickhowell High School face off against another school in Powys, with hopes to make it an annual event

“We want to remember Will, a young man who had a bright future ahead of him,” said Ms Jones.

“This is a fitting way for his legacy to live on, by helping others in their time of need.”

She continued: “We will be looking to publicise the event everywhere. Our vision is if that goes well this summer, we will continue to grow it each year and hopefully raise more money.”

The Wales Air Ambulance Charity relies on public donations to raise the £11.2 million required every year to keep the helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road.

The charity is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury.

As a pan-Wales service, its dedicated crews, regardless of where they are based, will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency lifesaving care.

More than 49,000 missions have been carried out to date since the charity’s launch on St David’s Day 2001.

Kate Thomas, Regional Fundraising Manager for Powys said: “Our thoughts are with Will’s family and friends at this difficult time.

“It is deeply moving for our team to learn that a fundraising memorial in this young man’s memory is being created and will raise money for our lifesaving service.

“We are hugely grateful to the staff, pupils, parents, and whole community for thinking of us as a beneficiary and for raising over £1,000 to date.

“Without the generosity of fundraisers like Crickhowell High School we would not be able to do what we do, events like this make such a big difference.”