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Northern Ireland family-owned holding company, SERE Holdings Ltd, has announced a major strategic expansion and consolidation of its aviation portfolio. Building on its recent investment in subsidiary 247 Aviation, SERE Holdings has now acquired Woodgate Aviation, Northern Ireland’s longest-established private air operator, founded in 1969. Woodgate is a leading provider of air ambulance services in the region, including the Northern Ireland Fixed Wing Patient Transfer contract. This landmark acquisition immediately strengthens the operational capacity of the newly formed SERE Aviation Group, securing the future of this vital healthcare transport link while significantly expanding SERE’s executive air charter, ground handling, and medical repatriation services. The acquisition also brings Woodgate’s long-established General Aviation and Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) services, along with its dedicated hangar and on-site maintenance facilities at Belfast International Airport, into the SERE Aviation Group portfolio. At the heart of the newly established SERE Aviation Group is a dual commitment to service continuity and quality. Woodgate Aviation will retain its existing, experienced management team and staff, ensuring that critical institutional knowledge and the high standards of its Air Ambulance contract remain uninterrupted. At the same time, Woodgate will be seamlessly integrated with SERE’s existing aviation businesses, including Jet Assist and 247 Aviation, leveraging SERE’s robust FBO infrastructure across Belfast International and Belfast City Airports. This integration guarantees superior support across Northern Ireland, including comprehensive ground handling, aircraft refuelling, and hangarage for the combined fleet as well as third-party aircraft. This strategic acquisition lays the foundation for a multi-million-pound investment in the combined company’s capabilities. SERE Holdings has committed to modernising and enhancing the overall service offering to the NHS. The strengthened operational structure and financial backing will ensure that the SERE Aviation Group maintains unmatched resilience and efficiency, cementing its position as Northern Ireland’s sole non-scheduled air operator and one of the UK’s largest specialist aviation groups. Stanley Edgar, group managing director of SERE Holdings Ltd, said: “This acquisition is a strategic step that maintains a high-value, life-saving contract and integrates Woodgate’s long-standing operational excellence into our group. "Securing the future of the Northern Ireland Fixed Wing Air Ambulance Service is paramount. We view this as a direct tribute to the quality of service provided by Woodgate’s dedicated aeromedical staff and engineers. This unification secures one of Northern Ireland’s most important air ambulance transport links under the wing of a robust, well-resourced, and locally committed company.” James McKnight, director of Flight Operations at 247 Aviation and SERE Aviation Group’s most senior aviation professional, continued: “I am excited and genuinely looking forward to integrating Woodgate into the SERE Aviation Group. This is an exceptional opportunity to welcome a company with such a long and successful history. "We plan to immediately capitalise on the vast experience of the Woodgate management team and staff to create a unified, high-performing group that sets a new standard for air ambulance and fixed-base operator services in Northern Ireland and further afield.” Stanley added: “This acquisition is profoundly meaningful and poignant for me, as I obtained both my Pilot’s Licence and my Flight Instructor’s Qualification at Woodgate many years ago. It is with a deep sense of honour that I now assume the responsibility for Woodgate., particularly as a tribute to its founder, Mike Woodgate, who passed away recently. "I firmly intend to honour his pioneering spirit by taking the company to the next level through strategic investment and integration, ensuring that the legacy he built continues to grow and deliver life-saving services to the region.” Johnny Keen, Outgoing Owner of Woodgate Aviation, concluded: “Woodgate Aviation, which began in 1969 with just ‘a wooden hut and an Aztec,’ has grown into the oldest private aviation firm on the island of Ireland. As the second generation of a family-run business, it is a moment of pride to see the company’s future secured by SERE Holdings. "This disposal ensures the legacy built over five decades will continue to grow and benefit Northern Ireland for years to come.”
