Helen Spokes , a Semi-Senior at Luton accountants Foxley Kingham, has signed up for the Keech Cottage Children’s Hospice Skydive Challenge on Sunday 17 th September at Brackley (Hinton) Airfield, Northants.
In conjunction with the Pasque Charity, Keech Cottage Children’s Hospice helps children and their families across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and parts of Buckinghamshire cope with terminal or life limiting illness. Despite a fear of heights, mother-of-two Helen is keen to support the popular local charity, which relies heavily on local fundraising to find the £1.9 million it needs every year to cover its running costs.
Even without a phobia of heights, Sunday’s jump will provide a real challenge to those involved. Participants will perform what’s known as a tandem skydive, which involves freefalling for several thousand feet before the parachute is deployed, all the time harnessed to a professional instructor. A jump from this altitude is something that would normally only be possible with thousands of pounds worth of training, making it the experience of a lifetime for those brave enough to sign up.
Although understandably nervous, Helen is determined to go through with the jump. As she pointed out, to say she was looking forward to it would be something of an exaggeration. However, thanks to her considerable efforts and the generous sponsorship of friends, family, colleagues and her employers, she stands to make a healthy contribution to Keech Cottage funds, once she’s back on solid ground!
