On the 17 May 2 years ago, I came home from work to find my wife on the phone to the hospital, her waters had broken at 25 weeks. Alfie was born 2 days later in a hospital in the Wirral. At 15 weeks prem he weighed just 1lb 4oz was in a critical condition and fighting for his life.

We lived at his bedside in ICU in Liverpool for 7 weeks and spent over 100 days in total in hospital's in Liverpool and the Midlands with Alfie before he finally came out... a 3rd of the year in all!

Bliss were there throughout this time offering everything from support and experience to a simple specially designed tiny baby cradle to make him comfortable when we couldn't. Bliss exists to ensure that all babies born too soon, too small or too sick in the UK have the best possible chance of survival and of reaching their full potential.

Without charities like Bliss the NHS, as fantastic as it is, simply could not afford to provide the additional care and support that makes experiences like this more bearable.

Given that Alfie will soon see his 2nd birthday signed off from all treatment and monitoring, and apart from being a bit of a pain and a scrapper ;) he has no long term problems it only feels right to give something back by doing something extreme.

Simply, for us, Bliss did help give the extra that gave Alfie the best possible chance of survival so, to mark the day it all started I shall be hurled from a plane somewhere over Northants to help raise a little cash and lots of awareness for Bliss.

This is my (our) way of thanking all the staff (and there were hundreds!) that cared for Alfie and us as a family during this time, Arrow Park ICU, Ronald McDonald House, Bliss reps, Heartlands Neonatal, Good Hope Neonatal, the doctors, nurses, consultants, volunteers EVERYBODY!

Please you got this far and I know I raise money an awful lot of the time, please donate any amount to a fantastic and worthy cause.

Thank you

Jody, Clare, Harrison, Evie and of course Aflie x