Walling competition raises more than £1,100 for Devon Air Ambulance

Representatives from the Dartmoor Preservation Association (DPA), Dartmoor Hill Farm Project and Dartmoor Brewery gathered in Princetown to present a cheque for £1,163 to the charity, following the event held at farmer Nick Fell's farm in June.

Helen Bruce from the DPA and Mr Fell were joined by Devon Air Ambulance representative Scarlett Ley at Dartmoor Brewery for the presentation, alongside Sophie Burgess and Columb Hague from the Dartmoor Hill Farm Project and competition winner David Cole.

The Ellwood Classic, held on June 27, attracted hundreds of spectators and 36 competitors, making it the largest walling competition of its kind and the first competitive dry stone walling event to be held on Dartmoor in living memory.

Wallers travelled from across the UK to compete individually and in pairs to build the best traditional Devon bank during the one-day contest. Local competitors, including the Cole brothers, Mickey Shears and Ethan Parsons, were among those showcasing the area's traditional rural skills.

Speaking after receiving the donation, Scarlett Ley, from Devon Air Ambulance, said: "A big thank you to you guys for raising over £1000 for our trust today, absolutely thank you for everything you’ve done. You’ll support our services for our two helicopters, across the whole of Devon and beyond, allowing us to get hospital care to the scene and then transferring our patients on to their relevant hospital."

The fundraising total was boosted by Dartmoor Brewery, which donated three casks of beer as part of its 100 Casks for 100 Causes initiative. Beer sold during the event contributed directly to the charity appeal.

Ian Cobham, Managing Director of Dartmoor Brewery, said: "We’ve been delighted to work with Nick and everyone who’s been part of the Ellwood Classic. Through our charity initiative, 100 Casks for 100 Causes, we managed to raise some money for a very worthy cause, the Devon Air Ambulance. I’ve always been a fan!"

The event was organised with support from the Dartmoor Preservation Association as lead partner, alongside the Dartmoor Hill Farm Project, the Dry Stone Walling Association and the Dartmoor National Park Authority through its Farming in Protected Landscapes programme.

Devon Air Ambulance is an independent charity that funds and operates two Airbus helicopters and a fleet of critical care cars, providing emergency pre-hospital care across Devon and beyond. Unlike many emergency services, it receives no direct government funding and relies entirely on donations and fundraising. In 2024, the charity completed 1,254 helicopter missions, with each response costing thousands of pounds.

Helen Bruce, from the DPA, said: "It’s very positive for the Dartmoor community that an event showcasing rural skills has had such a profound impact on people and been able to raise money for a worthy cause. Apparently the fact that we provided the walling competition prize money in cash meant that a great deal of that ended up with the Air Ambulance, via the bar!"

Following the success of this year's event, organisers hope the Ellwood Classic will become a regular celebration of Dartmoor's traditional walling heritage while continuing to support local charities and rural communities.