Two teams of intrepid skydivers have signed up to take part in 10,000 foot Tandem Skydives at Langar Airfield to raise funds for Nottingham’s Saving Lives Helipad Appeal.
The appeal hopes to raise £3 million to build an onsite helipad at Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC), which will reduce transfer times for patients with life-threatening injuries being taken to the East Midlands Major Trauma Centre by air ambulance from across the region.
The first Tandem Skydive on Saturday 18 April will involve four members of staff from the Major Trauma Centre team: Danielle Saville, Linzi Dunkley, Chelsey Sills and Margaret Mobbs and will see the team soaring through the skies at speeds of up to 120mph.
Auxillary nurse Danielle knows the importance of the life-saving treatment that goes on at the QMC every day.
“‘Last week alone, we saw 12 patients who may not have survived without the expert care and specialist facilities available at the Major Trauma Centre,” she said.
“Every second counts for patients with life-threatening injuries, but at the moment it takes up to 20 minutes for air ambulance patients to complete their journey to QMC by road.”
Personally, I hate heights so this is a big challenge for me and not something that my friends or family would have expected me to do
Staff nurse Linzi Dunkley on the sky diving challenge ahead
Staff nurse Linzi also added: “Like everyone who works at the Major Trauma Centre, the four of us are hugely passionate about the Saving Lives Helipad Appeal – and that’s why we decided to do something a bit different to raise funds.”
The other team taking part is Hillary’s Blinds with eight staff members jumping on the earlier date of Sunday 12 April.
Image: The proposed plans for the new helipad at the Queens Medical Centre
Ellen Wilson, Charity Committee Head at the Colwick-based firm, said: “Hayward House is Hillary’s selected charity for all our fundraising, but we jumped at the opportunity of supporting the Saving Lives Helipad Appeal too by taking part in the Tandem Skydive.”
“We have a team of eager divers who are ready to raise lots of cash for an extremely worthy cause – and throwing themselves out of a plane is definitely a fun way of doing it!”
