Please celebrate my 60th birthday by distributing your donations across these three charities using the links below:

Click here to donate to The Brae Riding for the Disabled

Click here to donate to Capability Scotland

Click here to donate to Communication Matters

(Note: Please use the links above to donate - do not click on the charity logos as your donation won't show up in my total.)

I celebrated my 60th birthday in March and was esolved to fulfil two of my bucket list dreams this summer...

1... to jump out of an aeroplane! (10 July 2023) done .. dusted and survived !

2... to crew a tall ship! (28 July to 5 August 2023) done ... dusted and survived with lots of bruises climbing a mast!

For the first, my craziest challenge to date, I was accompanied by my nephews James (his first skydive) and Henry (a member of the Nottingham Uni Skydiving Club). Every time I watched Henry's videos, I got cold feet! (I even considered bribing my physio to tell me I shouldn’t go through with this – but no luck. Instead, she urged me on…)

And I did it! See the evidence on video !

The most terrifying activity I have embarked on. More terrifying than ... downhill skiing ... abseiling .. and way worse than whitewater rafting down the Kicking Horse River in British Columbia, Canada 🤭

And ... I did not even scream!

For he second, I joined the mixed-abilities crew on the Tenacious, sailing from Lerwick (Shetland) to Arendal (Norway).

The first challenge scared me witless... I then hoped that I would not be seasick for the entire nine day voyage of the second challenge...

Good news is that I have sea legs and loved every moment. I even climbed the rigging and went out onto the bowsprit. I have uploaded some photos to my facebook page but have also edited two videos (thanks to my intrepid buddy, Dee for the footage):

- my creep onto the bow sprit - thanks to Lois and Ian;

- my climb up the rigging to the main mast platform - thanks to Tom and Ann, with John and Mike in support.

The problem is I have now caught the sailing nd have already booked a 16 day voyage from Finland to Poland next July!

So PLEASE continue to swell the coffers as I try to return to regular life!

I am fundraising for three charities close to my heart (follow links for information on the charities - not to donate):

- Communication Matters (the focus of my research for over 3 decades supporting people who use augmentative and alternative communication to communicate - a UK wide charity)

- Capability Scotland (I have been a trustee for CS for 3 decades supporting disabled people - a Scotland wide charity)

- The Brae Riding for the Disabled (30 minutes a week on a horse combined with my fortnightly physio has helped me retain my mobility – a Dundee based charity).

I am so grateful that I have the knowledge and financial ability to benefit from therapy without which I would not be mobile, communicative and independent at 60!

Together we can support more people with complex disabilities to reach their individual potential!

Thank you so much for your generosity so far - we have exceeded my original target of £4,000 ... I revised this to £6,000 after the skydive ... and have now revised this further to £7,000 - the sky is the limit (I now know that from experience) !

Annalu x x x

P.S. I will be updating my facebook page and @usabilitydoc on twitter (X) as I navigate my summer of madness...

P.P.S. The photo was taken last July at La'Bri winery in Franschoek (Cape Town) where my sister Irene is the manager and winemaker. Pictured with their aunts are James (back) and Henry (left).