Mitzie Etrata, staff nurse, and Caroline Mann, clinical support worker, joined 13 other people at Beccles airfield on 14th July, all challenging themselves to soar to around 13,000 feet in a tandem skydive to raise money for St Helena Hospice.

Caroline was elated to experience the rush of falling at about 120 mph, commenting:

“I could feel the air rushing around my face and I really felt alive. It was a massive adrenaline rush, and when I landed, I was just grinning from ear to ear.

“I wanted to do it for everybody who comes into the Hospice and who the Hospice helps at home. We’ve all got family and friends who've been touched by cancer and other diseases, and working at the Hospice makes you realise that it could happen to anybody and you've got to live your life and have all these experiences while you can.

“This time last year I wanted to do a skydive but I was too heavy. I was really inspired to lose four stone so that I could do it, so this has been good for my own wellbeing too.

“Talking to the relatives who did it with us on the day, made me feel proud to be part of St Helena Hospice. We do much more than just care; it's all the emotional support we give people and the memories that we can try to help make for families, and we need the funds to be able to keep doing what we do.”

Nursing colleagues Caroline and Mitzie have raised around £2,500 for the local charity by taking on the skydive. Mitzie said:

“Over my time at the Hospice I have spoken to several patients who have dreamed of doing a skydive but they were too unwell to do it, so I did it for them.

“When I landed, I was relieved and exhilarated, I couldn’t believe I had done it. It is one of those amazing experiences I could never describe.”

To register interest in the next tandem skydive for St Helena Hospice contact fundraising@sthelena.org.uk