Two daring young travel agents, more used to getting on planes, are taking the plunge and jumping out of one instead.
Ashleigh Davison and Ebonie Bruce of Hays Travel have chosen the daredevil challenge to raise funds for autism support charity Daisy Chain.
The pair will leap out of a plane from over 7,000 feet on Saturday May 11 and chose Daisy Chain as their charity because Ashleigh’s young brother, Ayce, 5, has received an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis and the family were signposted to Daisy Chain.
It will also be Ebonie’s twenty-first birthday when the pair jump so they are planning double celebrations for the evening after the event.
Ashleigh, 28 and Ebonie, 20, work in the Cockerton branch of Hays Travel and are hoping to raise over £800 for Daisy Chain.
Says Ashleigh, ‘I can’t do runs or other challenges, I would rather jump out of a plane than that.’
Ebonie adds, ‘Every time I think about it my heart starts jumping out of my chest but I am excited to do it and it is great to be raising funds for such a worthwhile charity.’
Ashleigh says her mum often finds it difficult and stressful visiting mainstream environments with Ayce, ‘Both my parents feel sometimes people are staring at them and thinking Ayce is being naughty when he is not.
‘We always raise money for charity through Hays Travel Community Partnership Fund and when we saw the Skydive on the Daisy Chain website, it really appealed to us as something we could do. It seemed like fate.’
Autism awareness is not something new to both Ashleigh and Ebonie as they work with many families booking holidays that need special arrangements so their children can enjoy the travel and holiday without getting stressed and anxious.
Ashleigh explains, ‘We can arrange fast track through security, lots of airports have quiet lounges now where families can get away from the crowds. We also organise specific rooms in hotels where they will be most comfortable perhaps at a low level without a balcony. My parents are going on holiday this year with Ayce for the first time because we can sort out these elements which make travelling a much calmer prospect.’
Customers have been enthused by their sense of adventure and already their fundraising is off to a great start.
‘I think a lot of customers, like our families, could hardly believe we were going to do it but they are very enthusiastic and I think we will exceed our target,’ smiles Ebonie.
If anyone would like to join Ashleigh and Ebonie on the Skydive they can find out more details on the Daisy Chain website at https://www.daisychainproject.co.uk/Event/skydive-2019 or call the fundraising team on 01642 531248.