In a departure from the usual sedate birthday celebrations, a remarkable 90-year-old named Shirley Robinson decided to mark her milestone by skydiving and, in doing so, raised an impressive £5,000 for a homeless charity.
Hailing from Long Clawson in Leicestershire, Shirley fearlessly leaped out of a plane at 14,000 feet during the fundraiser held at Skydive Langar in Nottinghamshire.
Despite being diagnosed with chronic leukemia the previous year, the resilient senior citizen successfully garnered essential funds for Crisis, a charity dedicated to assisting and supporting homeless individuals.
Speaking to BBC News Shirley said: ‘It’s just wonderful how generous people have been. It’s lovely.’
A video capturing the memorable jump showcases Shirley adorned in a vibrant blue jumpsuit, surrounded by cheering family and friends as she prepared to board the flight.
With a radiant smile, Shirley joyfully waved at the camera as she was securely harnessed to her skydiving instructor.
Following an exhilarating free fall, Shirley safely landed in a field, audibly expressing her delight by exclaiming, “That was wonderful!”
When asked about her favorite part of the experience, she replied, “That was lovely, going through the clouds.”
Acknowledging the breathtaking nature of the free fall, Shirley admitted that she thoroughly enjoyed it, extending her gratitude to her instructor for taking care of her.
Returning to an enthusiastic welcome, Shirley’s family and friends cheered and congratulated her on her remarkable achievement.
A spokesperson for the charity expressed their immense gratitude, stating, “We want to say an enormous thank you to Shirley for the incredible amount of money she has raised. Shirley’s donation will provide vital support for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. We’re so grateful.”
In a remarkable feat, an 81-year-old runner with a goal of completing 300 marathons recently lauded the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon as one of the finest she has participated in.
Hilary Wharam, hailing from Leeds and having taken up running at the age of 55, triumphantly finished her 175th marathon on Sunday, crossing the line in an impressive eight hours and 15 minutes. Reflecting on her experience, she expressed her astonishment, exclaiming, “It was amazing. I never expected it to be so good.”
During an interview with BBC News, Hilary shared that the enthusiastic support of numerous spectators along the route greatly contributed to her ability to push through and complete the marathon. Their encouragement played a pivotal role in her reaching the finish line.
She said: ‘So many people know me, not just the runners but from other disciplines, so as I was running round people were jumping out from the crowd to give me a hug.’
Hilary acknowledged that as the marathons become more challenging, having people to converse with proves beneficial.
She said: ‘It’s always hard, it’s harder on your own, but if you’ve got a captive audience, and you’re thinking about helping them, you just fly because you’re not concentrating on yourself at all.’
