Hannah Fielding, who has cerebral palsy and requires 24 hour care, took to the sky and jumped out of a plane to raise money for Diverse Abilities Plus, the Dorset-based charity that provides support to local children, adults and their families.
Hannah, age 23, from Bournemouth, is an avid supporter of Diverse Abilities Plus and wanted to give something back for all the great work the charity does. To date Hannah has raised over £4,000 but donations continue to fly in.
Supporting Hannah on the day were many close friends and family, including Phyllis Edwards, the founder of the charity and her daughter Wendy Barfoot. Wendy undertook a skydive for her 70th birthday in 2011, which gave Hannah the confidence to also take the plunge.
The skydive for Hannah was amazing and for once in her life she felt able-bodied – something she never thought she would experience.
Hannah said: “Skydiving was a fantastic experience and something I’d never imagine I’d do. It was extremely liberating and I felt free, which is not normal for me. When I landed, I was very happy I’d decided to do it, and that I had survived, but I was disappointed it was over! I will definitely be signing up for another skydive in the future and would recommend it to anyone.”
She added: “I want to say a massive thank you to everyone at the charity and Wendy and Phyllis for believing in me. Diverse Abilities Plus is my life and I am incredibly grateful to the charity, and its staff, for giving me many opportunities for employment. I’d also like to say thank you to Mike, my instructor, Pete the photographer on the day and Rachel who helped me get kitted out and on the plane.”
If you would like to sponsor Hannah and raise even more funds for vital services provided by Diverse Abilities Plus in Dorset, please visit www.justgiving.com/Hannah-Fielding.
