Hi All,  

Firstly, thanks for taking the time to visit Ashley's JustGiving page.  Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Secondly, Ashley is potentially in the midst of a mid-life crisis.  Ashley "The Brave" Byford... famous for being slightly less than brave 90% of the time, and never breaking a made to be broken rule, except that one time when she got caught climbing a tree she shouldn't be climbing and subsequently told off.  Ashley "The Adventurer" Byford... famous for climbing climbable trees, usually as far as the first branch because she happens to be a little bit clumsy and unbalanced and knows that a fall even from such a height can lead to pain.  Ashley "Safe" Byford... famous for doing things that are a bit on the dangerous side without a care in the world, much like her father.  Ashley "The All Round Oxymoron" is always dangerously safe, bravely scared and a no questions asked enquirer, there is only one interestingly boring individual of her kind...

Thirdly, and most importantly, Ashley is jumping because Sophie, her partner in university crime suggested it and it seemed like an opportunity not to be missed (or rather that should have been politely declined but she's not one to disappoint) and of course this is a fantastic opportunity to face the world (from a height) and raise money for a fantastical cause.  

Ashley has chosen to fundraise for the My WiSH charity, the charity of West Suffolk Hospital, which is currently working on several projects to educate and improve the experience of patients, their families and carers.  By far Ashley's favourite is the recently opened Forget-Me-Not Memory Walk for dementia awareness, where Ashley frequently admires the "scenery" as she takes the long walk along the G4 corridor (this is also where THAT poster can be found) and recommends that everyone visits just to remember, admire and appreciate the little things that can make a huge difference to a patient with dementia as they travel along.  

Other major campaigns include the  Love your Nodes, Arthrose Appeal, The Bereavement Suite and The Beat it Campaign.  Further details of all these campaigns can be found here:  http://www.wsh.nhs.uk/Charity/Campaigns/Appeals.aspx

In addition, there are approximately 90 other smaller projects ongoing in the hospital supported by the MyWiSH Charity.  Ashley hasn't yet decided which pot she would like money raised to go into, but will confirm this in due course.

So why should you support Ashley to raise money (a hefty £700 target) for My WiSH?  Well being from the local area Ashley knows that many of her friends and family spent their first days at WSH, it's there at their beck and call 24/7 should they find themselves needing health care in an emergency and many will be referred there by their GP for a number of various services.  It is, therefore, the hub of the average Thetford and the surrounding area person's healthcare universe (unless they get referred elsewhere of course).  In short, it's likely that we'll all become a patient (in or out) at some stage and wherever the money goes, whichever project it heads towards, it can directly benefit you or your family in the future, so dig deep :D x