Brave Littlehampton woman to take the plunge

A COACH driver who said she would never skydive again will make the brave leap once more to raise funds for a Parkinson’s charity.
Geraldine Venables will need more than just an umbrella when she plunges through the skies for the charity   L15582H14Geraldine Venables will need more than just an umbrella when she plunges through the skies for the charity   L15582H14
Geraldine Venables will need more than just an umbrella when she plunges through the skies for the charity L15582H14

Geraldine Venables, of Falkland Avenue, Littlehampton, will skydive from Netheravon Airfield, in Salisbury, on April 26 to raise funds for Parkinson’s UK.

The 42-year-old is raising money for the charity because her mother-in-law, Dawn Venables, suffers from the illness.

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Last year Geraldine separated from her husband, but mother-in-law Dawn, 57, has remained close to her and has offered support during the break-up.

Geraldine, right, with her mother-in-law Dawn Venables who has  Parkinsons   L15588H14Geraldine, right, with her mother-in-law Dawn Venables who has  Parkinsons   L15588H14
Geraldine, right, with her mother-in-law Dawn Venables who has Parkinsons L15588H14

Dawn was diagnosed with the degenerative condition five years ago.

But despite this, Geraldine said her mother-in-law had remained positive and upbeat.

Geraldine said: “She’s an inspiration.

“My husband left me last year and my in-laws have been very good to me, so I wanted to give something back.

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“I feel there’s not enough publicity for the condition, so I wanted to promote it, really.”

Geraldine skydived once before, in 1998, for the Anthony Nolan charity and vowed at the time never to do it again.

It is for that reason she feels skydiving again will make the fundraising effort more meaningful.

She said: “I did say I would never do it again.

“It is the ultimate thing to do again to show what this means to me.

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“It’s utterly terrifying but it’s also an amazing experience at the same time.

“To do something I said I would never do again is important to me.”

Parkinson’s is a generative disorder of the central nervous system.

There is no cure for the illness, which is perhaps best known for its high profile sufferers actor Michael J Fox and boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

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Geraldine said she had been inspired by how Dawn had remained positive and kept her sense of humour in spite of her diagnosis.

She said: “She’s always positive and very cheerful and she’s very funny.

“She thinks it’s amazing that I’m doing the skydive.

“They’ve both been so supportive to me, which is why I’m doing this.”

To donate to Geraldine’s fundraising, visit www.virginmoneygiving.com/geraldinevenables