Family skydive for charity
Family is important, but would you be willing to jump out of a plane to help a member of yours say thank you?
That is exactly what brother and sister Debbie Warrington, 40, and Jim Mulqueeney, 43, did last Saturday when they took part in a sponsored skydive to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust; a cause very close to their hearts.
Jim's grand-daughter Naomi, two, suffers from the disease and the pair raised more than 1,100 as a thank you to the trust, which provides specialist help for her and support for her Mum and Dad, Chris and Sarah.
"Originally we were going to do a walk but we thought we would try something a bit more daring," said Debbie, who owns DJ's Booze and Food in Woodhouse Lane, Springfield. "Naomi's dad wanted to do it but she has been so ill recently they have been spending all their time with her in the hospital.
"We wanted to do it because, well, you do anything for your family basically."
Debbie and Jim, who owns Sam's Place, Smithy Green, Ince, had to have full medicals before the jump because they are both over 40, and got sponsorship from all the family as well as lots of their regular customers.
They were given only 20 minutes training before being strapped to the front of an instructor and flown to their jump height of 14, 000 feet.
"The worst bit was going on the plane," said Debbie.
"It was the fact that the door was going to open and they were just going to throw us out, there was no turning back!"
Debbie and Jim were in freefall for 11,000 feet before the instructors opened the parachutes, it took them just 51 seconds.
The flight up had taken 12 minutes.
"It was amazing, the best thing I have ever done in my life," Debbie said.
"It was great knowing that we had raised money for charity as well, and we would like to thank all of our family, friends and customers who have supported us, and a special thanks to Kay's Dairy in Pemberton for their very generous donation."
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Weather for Wigan
Saturday 04 February 2012
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Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
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