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SCARED OF HEIGHTS, BUT SARAH’S JUMPING OUT OF A PLANE TO HELP DISABLED CHILDREN

Thirty-year-old Sarah Brookes is taking a leap of faith – to raise vital funds to help disabled and terminally ill children.

Sarah’s own son Harley – aged ten, and one of twins – has heart and lung conditions so she knows the difficulties that families of disabled children face.

Sarah – who works at The Co-operative Funeralcare in Warwick Road, Solihull – said: “Doing something to help disabled children is quite personal. My son Harley has Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and chronic lung disease and spent the first 16 months of his life in hospital, so I understand how hard it can be. That’s why I wanted to do my bit to support Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children, which is Central England Co-operative’s staff-elected charity.”

Newlife provides specialist equipment for disabled and terminally ill children and with Central England Co-operative’s fundraising support – to date in excess of £730,000 – has helped more than 300 families in the retailer’s trading area. Equipment provided includes wheelchairs and buggies, specialist beds and car seats, standing frames and walkers, stair climbers and communication aids.

Sarah said: “We are very lucky in that Harley doesn’t need specific pieces of equipment – he just has to self-regulate his activities.”

The mum-of-three from Solihull added: “Taking part in a sky-dive is something I have wanted to do for a long time – but after I quit smoking four years ago I put on five stone. In the past two and a half years I have lost all of that, and more, and am planning to lose another stone in time for the sky-dive in June.”

Sarah will be taking her leap of faith at an airport in Northamptonshire on June 27 – and hopes to reach her fundraising target of £500. She said: “Colleagues and friends have been really supportive, and now I’ll be turning my attention to the family . . .”

Anyone wanting to support Sarah can go to: www.justgiving.com/Sarah-Brookes13

Sarah has only flown once before – on her honeymoon – and is scared of heights. “I won’t even go up a ladder,” she says.

“It is good that it is a tandem jump and I’ll be strapped to someone else because I don’t think I could do it solo. I hope they have ear plugs because they are going to need them as I have a feeling I will be screaming all the way down to the ground.”

She added: “Please help me to support this fantastic charity, they do so much for so many children!”

Pictured: Sarah Brookes

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