Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

This summer I decided that I wanted to set a life goal every year and do something amazing for charity. Never one for doing things small, the challenge for this year’s first goal was “face your fear”……. and so the crazy idea of Tandem Skydiving appeared.

Those that know me, know that I regard heights with the same enthusiasm I have in being lathered in golden syrup and rolling around in a nest of fire ants. I’m terrified. In fact three years ago I went to the top of Blackpool Tower, took one step onto the transparent viewing platform, 380ft above the promenade, and nearly died.

So when I read that the average skydiver falls between 110 and 130 miles per hour in the ‘standard’ belly to earth position and that it takes roughly 10 seconds to fall the first 1,000 feet, my immediate reaction was; challenge accepted.

But in the aftermath of booking my Skydive, whilst some people might jump (excuse the pun) at the chance to throw themselves out of a plane and enjoy the thrill; I on the other hand vomit slightly thinking about it - the main reason I have been avoiding the ‘how many different ways there are to describe ‘death by falling’’ section on the waiver form (now I know why they ask for payment up front…)

Joking aside, the most important part of this is the charity I’m hoping to raise money for, a charity especially close to our family’s heart; Diabetes UK. My Grandad had diabetes for 37 years and even in the face of the lows that the disease can bring, he had great strength and courage and a huge heart extending his love to everyone he met and knew. Despite sadly losing Grandad to a stroke, without the pioneering research and care that Diabetes UK provide, we wouldn’t have been lucky  enough to have had such an amazing person in our lives for so long.

Grandad was a firm believer in the glass always being half full (my inspiration) and I am hoping to raise a minimum of £300 in memory of him, for Diabetes UK. I apologise now for my charity demands, begging and often far too many exclamation marks (!) as I know that there are so many good causes all desperately needing funding at a time when people have less money to give. So any donation, big or small, will be put to the best possible use to improve the lives of people with diabetes and fund pioneering research into care, prevention and ultimately a cure for all types of diabetes.

Weather permitting, I’ll be launching myself, up to 14,500 feet high, out of a plane overlooking the Lake District, Lake Windermere and Morecombe Bay on Saturday 3^rd October 2015 and I have already been advised that I only need a parachute if I want to jump twice………

Thank you

Gem xxx

“The sky is not the limit, the ground is”

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