Chapel-en-le-Frith friends’ charity skydive raises £1,600 for Royal British Legion

Wendy Rains and Helena Ashbury live across the road from each other and every year they volunteer to sell poppies for the Royal British Legion.

During a girly night in and after a couple of bottles of wine Helena booked a skydive for her and Wendy.

And on Saturday June, 3 they travelled to Peterborough and each did a tandem skydive.

Wendy, 56, said: “It was absolutely amazing.

“I loved every second of it.”

She says there was nothing in head when she jumped out and was just concentrating on everything her instructor was saying.

She said: “I jumped first and Helena followed me and the instructors did such a wonderful job we were able to wave at each other going down.”

For Wendy the Royal British Legion is close to her heart as her grandfather died from injuries from the war when her mother was just 13.

She said: “It’s important we look after the people who have served and that’s what the legion does.”The money raised has been split with £1,200 raised online going to the Royal British Legion Industries, which helps veterans and the remaining £400 cash donations being used to support the Chapel branch of the legion.

Helena, 52, said: “I never thought I would enjoy it but it was awesome.

“I was smiling all day when we were there and I haven’t stopped smiling.”While up in the plane the reality of what they were doing hit home for Helena.

She said: “We were jumping out of a plane for fun but for some this really was a choice between life and death and they had to do it.”

She added: “The wonderful Sally and Alan Tideswell were also very much in my thoughts.

“They work tirelessly for the Chapel branch to ensure the group can continue and I’m so pleased some of the money is going back to keep things going.

“Thank you to everyone who has sponsored us I don’t think I would have actually had the motivation if it wasn’t for the sponsors.”

To donate visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helenaandcharlotte-jodrell