This May I turn 60 and wanted to mark the event doing something a little different and at the same time raise some money for a great cause.  So what better way to do so than being strapped onto the top wing of a bi-plane, travelling at up to 140mph at 800ft and raising donations for Maggie’s Oxford - a cause close to my heart.

For those who may not know  Maggie’s is not a Thatcher tribute but a charity offering support in all shapes and forms to those affected by cancer: from relaxation sessions and courses on how to cope with uncertainty to practical advice covering hair loss and money worries.  From my experience knowing you can walk through the door of a Maggie’s centre and be greeted by a friendly and supportive face offering you a cup of tea and a chat is priceless. 

 Maggie’s centres were the brainchild of Maggie Keswick Jencks, a writer and garden designer and her architect husband Charles Jencks .  After Maggie’s  diagnosis of secondary breast cancer in 1993  she and Charles vowed to improve the lives of patients and families living with cancer.  Her wish was that nobody would ‘lose the joy of living  in the fear of dying’ .  Their vision was to provide  cancer caring centres on hospital sites but away from the clinical environment giving patients and families a haven and source of support.  As designers, Maggie and Charles  realised the power of the built environment to lift the spirit and act as a ‘secondary therapy’ and Maggie’s centres are stunning buildings designed by architectural heavyweights such as Frank Gehry,  Zaha Hadid, Richard Rogers and Norman Foster.  At Oxford I can enjoy the light-filled ‘treehouse’ by Wilkinson Eyre the firm responsible for the beautiful Gardens by the Bay in Singapore.  If you’re feeling low there’s nothing like an inspiring building to lift you up.

The date I have been given to undertake this mad aeronautical act is 23rd May which coincidentally marks 11 years to the day since my wonderful brother Chris died aged only 52 from cardiomyopathy leaving a huge hole in our family. I think he’d love the idea of me wingwalking and I will be thinking of him  as I climb a little closer to heaven.  However I am also a little worried that one of his favourite programmes was ‘Air Crash Investigation’…….