Five members of staff from a care home in Hemel Hempstead completed a 10,000ft skydive to raise money towards the residents’ mini-bus fund.
Sheila Tizzard, Alison Crane, Janet Adams, Shannon O’Sullivan and Steven Mardley of Mountbatten Lodge braved the skies on Saturday, June 22 at an airfield in Cambridgeshire so residents of its 60-bed care home could have their own mini-bus.
The adrenalin filled staff all completed the tandem skydive that included up to approximately 30 seconds of freefalling reaching speeds of 125mph before the parachute opened.
Mountbatten Lodge Home Manager, Priscillia Okwuka said: “Proud does not even come close to how I feel about the team that completed the parachute jump. In the weeks leading up to the jump I have observed excitement, nerves and anxiety. Now I feel in total admiration for them. They returned to work in very high spirits wanting to go again to my amazement.”
“I am of course proud of all the staff here at Mountbatten Lodge. Everyone pulls together, including our resident and relatives. We are just like one big family. When we finally reach our target there is certainly going to be a big celebration, we are halfway to our target now and events like this seem to make us even more determined to get there.”
The team of five is aiming to raise £10,000 and still have some way to go.
They have already completed various fundraisers including a sponsored walk, Easter fair, Christmas party and more recently a Teddy Bears Picnic.
Priscillia added: “It will make such a big difference for our residents when we are able to buy our own mini-bus. Having the freedom and choice to go out would give our residents so much more independence and will deliver significant benefits to overall wellbeing.”
“A trip to the shops or to sit in a park in the summer months can break up the day. I know we have a massive journey ahead of us but I feel really determined that we can do this now.”
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