A daring duo from Waseley Hills Crematorium completed a 14,000-foot parachute jump to raise money for charity.
The two crematorium attendants, Claire Montague and Lianne Dusley, took the plunge for Dementia UK – raising £1,650 to aid the cost of nurses who provide vital support to families affected by the condition.
Dementia UK is this year’s charity partner for the the crematorium and their parent group, Westerleigh, which is what prompted Claire and Lianne to make the jump for charity.
Claire said: “When we became fundraising partners for Dementia UK, we thought, as a team, that it would a good idea to do something scary to raise funds for the charity.
“It was just me and my colleague Lianne who said yes to a parachute jump, when everyone else said no.
“I guess we thought it’d be a lifetime opportunity even though we knew it was going to be the most terrifying experience of our lives at the same time.
“It felt totally unnatural, edging towards the edge of a plane and telling yourself to jump out, but the staff who were alongside us were wonderful.
“We did tandem jumps, with a professional on our backs. There was about a minute of free-falling before the parachute opened, which was quite literally breath-taking.
“But when the parachute opened, we were able to properly enjoy the experience. It was lovely and quiet, the views were fantastic, and the landing was very smooth.
“We both agree that, while being immensely proud of ourselves for overcoming our fears, we don’t feel any need to rush to repeat the experience.
“It was something that we will never forget and was a big tick on our bucket lists.”
