Hospital worker raises £1,800 for Trust children’s charity appeal

Daredevil Gill Jones and her skydiving instructor

A hospital worker is jumping for joy after raising a staggering £1,800 for the Pennine Acute Hospital Trust’s In Your Hands Appeal.

Thrill seeker Gill Jones, from Langley, Middleton, took part in a sponsored skydive above Lancaster to help raise money for the charity appeal.

Ms Jones, a linen assistant at North Manchester General Hospital, said: “I’ve always wanted to do a parachute jump and so when I saw that I could, plus raise money for charity, I literally jumped at the chance!”

Strapped to her instructor, Ms Jones enjoyed a 59 second free fall and then a further two minute parachute ride as she hurtled towards the earth at 120 mph.

She added: “It was a fantastic thing to do even though my stomach still felt as if it was in the sky above me when I landed.”

Seeking sponsorship money from all her friends and colleagues, plus walking around every ward and department within North Manchester General Hospital, Ms Jones soon clocked up a huge sponsorship total, for which she is very grateful.

“Money is very tight at the moment and so it is extra important that we give generously to the In Your Hands appeal which will provide better facilities for local babies and their parents whilst they are in hospital,” she said.

The Trust’s Appeal is looking to raise £200,000 for the new purpose-built women and children’s ‘super centre’ at The Royal Oldham Hospital, including a new level 3 neonatal unit, which is currently under construction and due to open in December this year.

Money from the In Your hands Appeal will go towards buying additional equipment to enhance the new women and children’s unit.

Once the new development is complete, The Royal Oldham will be one of three regional centres providing the highest level of intensive care to the smallest and most vulnerable babies.

To find out more about how you can help raise money for the In Your Hands Appeal, or to make a donation, visit www.pat.nhs.uk/inyourhands or call 0161 918 4497.