Raised: 107%
Target: £1,000.00
Raised so far: £1,068.50
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My story

 

We did it!

On Wednesday 11 June, aided and abetted by two strong and capable men, we plummeted head-first from a light aircraft two miles above the earth ... and we have lived to tell the tale. Thanks to the generosity of our family and friends, we have also helped to  enrich two charities whose work helps people to survive cancer.

The evidence is on the left. If you click on any one of the small photos (which were randomly selected by a cybermachine over which I appear to have no control at all), you go to a Flickr page where, on the right, you can click into a file called "The Evidence! (Set)". If you click on "browse" at the bottom of that set, then on "Detail" at the top left of the next page, you can see all the photos, in the correct order. If you knew all this already, sorry for wasting your time: I can only assume that your brain was not recently subjected to a G-force beyond the wildest imagination of the average 50-year-old.

Thankfully, we quickly got into the stable face-to-ground position, which instructors rather whimsically liken to "lying on a bed of air", and travelled at 125 mph through the icy atmosphere and a layer of cloud. 

About 45 seconds later, we were jolted unceremoniously into a vertical position as our parachutes opened. From that point, we had about seven minutes of being suspended in space, not feeling as though we were moving at all, but conscious that things on the ground (including, of course, Barry, who has more sense than both of us put together) were getting gradually larger.

 

Alison and her minder, Gary, landed on their feet – his quickly followed by hers. Steph and Steve landed on their respective posteriors, though his hit the ground first, and she was delighted to find herself – legs inelegantly splayed but all bones intact – between his polyester-clad legs.

 

Our 8-minute adventure involved our being out of the house for 13 hours and an unprecedented amount of cloud-watching and wind-assessing.

 

We both thought it was an amazing, fantastic, wonderful experience, though neither of us wishes ever to repeat it.

 

As you will know if you have visited our pages before, we aimed to raise at least £1,000 to help more people to survive cancer. We have already received just over £2,000, excluding Gift Aid. If nothing else, this project proves that we know some fantastically kind and generous people: if you are one of them, thank you very much.

 

If you haven't yet sponsored us, we would be really grateful if you would donate to either or both of two charities:

 

• If you would like to donate to the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Unit at UCLH, please use this page.

 

• If you would like to donate to the Institute of Cancer Research, please use this link.

 

• If you would like to donate half your money to each charity, please make a separate entry on each page - that would be brilliant!

 

We chose these two charities because Barry has now been in remission for over a year from the fast-growing and very rare form of lymphoma that he was diagnosed with in November 2006. We owe his life to the researchers who discovered the "magic bullet" part of his chemotherapy, and to the outstanding medical and nursing care that he received in the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Unit at University College Hospital, London while his immune system was temporarily destroyed by the chemo.

 

We booked our jumps direct with the airfield to save on costs. Barry paid the full cost of Steph's jump, and Ali paid £50 (just over one week's Student Loan!) towards hers. £115 was used to pay for the balance of Ali's jump, and all the rest of the funds raised will go direct to the two charities.

 

This is the official bit: "Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor us: The Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research Unit, UCLH, will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you."


Thank you very much for your support.

With best wishes from two exhilarated and exhausted women,

Ali and Steph

Better late than never! Donation by The Plums 13/10/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Donation by Robert Church 08/10/08  

£15.00

No Comment Donation by Peter Hancock 04/10/08  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

wow, well done! (sorry i can't be more) Donation by philip jones 02/07/08  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

well done! this is a much better use of my money than rum! best of luck meeting your goal! Donation by David Smith 19/06/08  

£20.00

Well done you idiots! I am very proud of you both! Donation by Amanda Ward 16/06/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Good luck and well done! Donation by Liz Powell 09/06/08  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

How could you do this to your Aunt?!! Enjoy the ride! Donation by Heather Smith 09/06/08  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Give me a hilly marathon anyday! Enjoy the adrenaline rush! Donation by The Airds 07/06/08  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Good Luck. Hope you have an exhilarating experience. Donation by Maurice Corda 06/06/08  

£15.00 + £4.23 Gift Aid

Good Luck, Enjoy the experience!? Donation by The Vees 03/06/08  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Good luck! Donation by Julian Bates 02/06/08  

£15.00 + £4.23 Gift Aid

You guys are sooo brave! Enjoy!!! :) Donation by Alison 01/06/08  

£4.00

Have a great day and enjoy the jump! Donation by Naomi and Roger 01/06/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

A present to my very favourite one, Love your green crayon xxx Donation by Abby Smith 30/05/08  

£10.00

For an unemployed student, I had to be a little less generous... sorry! Much love x Donation by Jenny Rhodes 29/05/08  

£5.00

For an unemployed student, I had to be a little less generous... sorry! Much love x Donation by Jenny Rhodes 29/05/08  

£5.00

A last act of generosity before I become an impoverished student but definately a worthy cause! x Donation by Helen Rhodes 29/05/08  

£7.50

Good Luck! I have too many people to sponsor so have to spread it out hehe Donation by Donna 12/05/08  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

Wish we had thought of that, what a great way to raise money, Good Luck Donation by Diane & Ken Porter 11/05/08  

£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid

Wow, what an amazingly crazy thing to do. Must be the best theme park ride ever. A great way to celebrate! Donation by Hazells 08/05/08  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Good Luck Donation by Claire Metcalfe 08/05/08  

£5.00

Just remember to open your eyes on the way down to get the full experience - Good Luck! Donation by Ian of Hertford 07/05/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

You don't need a parachute to go skydiving - only if you want to go again! Good luck. Donation by Stockbridges 07/05/08  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Good luck - I shall be thinking of you! Donation by Jean Dyer 03/05/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Best of luck to you both. Safe landings! Donation by Liz McElwain 01/05/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Same as the other one- if I get my registry job back I'll pop more in later x Donation by Katie 30/04/08  

£5.00

Good luck, love you! Donation by Hazel S 27/04/08  

£10.00

Go on, leap for joy (sorry, had to!!!!!!!!) Donation by joybells 27/04/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Bon chance! Donation by Tony & Jen 25/04/08  

£15.00 + £4.23 Gift Aid
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* Total raised online: £586.50
  Offline donations: £482.00
  Gift Aid plus supplement: £133.97

* Charities pay a small fee for our service.
Find out how much it is and what we do for it.