I’m jumping out of a plane to raise money for Support Dogs UK!

Skydiving for a life-changing charity sounds great, but stepping out of a plane at 10,000ft and free falling at 120mph will need some moral support! Your donations and encouragement, no matter how big or small, will give me the boost needed to take that step on the 20th of September this year. Whether you’re able to donate or not, I’d be so grateful to anyone who’d be kind enough to read on and help spread the word.

About the charity:

Tom (my husband) & I have been volunteering for this incredible charity, Support Dogs UK, for the last two years and we couldn’t be more in awe of the work they do. They train assistance dogs through their three life-changing programmes:

* Autism assistance dogs; working to increase safety and the ability to have a more socially inclusive life for autistic children and their families.

* Disability assistance dogs; providing life-changing 24/7 care and support for their owners, including assistance with a wide range of personal care and practical tasks, to enable individuals to live more independent and safer lives.

* Seizure alert dogs; providing a 100% reliable warning up to 1 hour prior to an oncoming epileptic seizure, enabling people to get to a place of safety and live more independently overall.

Tom & I both have an invested interest in this charity’s mission. From a young age I’ve been passionate about actively promoting inclusivity and quality of life for those living with disability, with a special interest in neurological conditions. This stemmed from losing the opportunity to meet and grow up with my sister, who was unfortunately lost to a rare and fatal congenital defect called anencephaly (where the brain and spinal cord don’t develop in a way that supports life). Maisie would have turned 19 this year and she is my daily inspiration in my role as a Neurological Physiotherapist. Tom is also incredibly passionate about Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). As a young adult he committed his summers to working with children and young adults with such differences, and has since developed into an incredible Primary School Teacher who strives to level the playing field for children with SEND.

What your support means to Support Dogs UK:

Any donation, no matter how big or small, can help to fund life-changing support:

* £35 pays for the equipment needed to help a support dog keep a child with autism safe while on a busy street or crossing a busy road.

* £100 could pay for a two hour training session for a disability assistance dog, providing them with the skills to give life-critical alerts to their client.

* £500 will pay for a two day home matching session, enabling a child with autism to meet their future support dog at their home for the first time.

* £3,000 is the average cost to our charity each year to offer 24/7 care for a working support dog.

* £27,000 is the average cost of training a support dog from introductory assessment up to graduation over a 2 year period.

A huge thank you for even reading this far and for all your support, in whatever form that may come!

Jess x