My 9-year-old son is SEND, so I'm jumping out of a plane for this Blackpool charity... I'm so nervous
A travel consultant from Cleveleys is preparing to take a leap of faith as she raises funds for a Blackpool charity that supports children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Sandra Sutton, who works at the Cleveleys branch of Hayes Travel, will take part in a skydive at Black Knights on April 19 in aid of Aiming Higher, a local charity that provides support to children with conditions such as autism and ADHD, as well as their families.
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Ms Sutton, who has worked in the travel industry for many years and has been based at the Cleveleys branch for the past four years, said the cause is deeply personal.
“My little boy is SEND,” she explained. “He goes to a local school and the support from the school has been amazing. Unfortunately, not everyone’s quite as lucky as I am, so there’s quite a gap in the support levels that are given.”
Her nine-year-old son, Caleb, inspired her decision to raise money for the charity. “It does take a village to raise a child,” she added.
Aiming Higher works with families across the Blackpool area, providing support services for children with SEND and helping parents access guidance, activities and community resources. To raise funds, Ms Sutton chose a challenge far outside her comfort zone.
“I wanted something that was likely to raise the most for the charity,” she said. “A lot of people do a little walk, don’t they? And I thought skydiving is totally out of my comfort zone.”
Despite working in travel and flying regularly, she admitted that jumping out of a plane feels very different. “Even though I travel a lot and I fly a lot, actually jumping out of a plane is a whole different scenario,” she said. “It’s something that’s going to really push me out of my comfort zone.”
The upcoming skydive will be Ms Sutton’s first. As the date approaches, she said nerves are starting to set in. “So nervous,” she laughed. “When something’s kind of a distance away you think, ‘Oh, it’s a while yet.’ And now we’re on the weekly countdown—it’s quite scary.”
Nevertheless, she said she is excited about the opportunity to support a local cause. “It’s absolutely something I’m looking forward to raising money for—a local charity that does so much for families.”
There is no fixed fundraising target, but Ms Sutton said every contribution makes a difference. So far she has raised a few hundred pounds, which she described as encouraging given current economic pressures.
“Especially with the times as they are, we’re really pleased with any donation that we get,” she said. “Any donation, no matter how big or small, would be really appreciated.”
Supporters can donate in person at the Hayes Travel Cleveleys branch, where cash donations are being accepted, or through her GoFundMe page https://gofund.me/c9746151a
Ms Sutton said she has already received strong support from customers. “They’ve been so nice,” she said. “We’ve had lots of support—customers coming in just to donate and give some kind words, so it’s been lovely.”