A READING mum took to the skies in support of the National Deaf Children’s Society.
Sonya Hawley took part in a tandem skydive from 10,000 feet on Sunday after reaching her fundraising target of £1,000.
Her daughter, Esmee, 16, was identified as deaf in 2017, since which the family has been ongoing, vital support from the charity, including British Sign Language classes.
It follows difficulty finalising the jump, as Sonya’s skydive had been booked for July last year, but was postponed five times due to inclement weather around the Sarum Airfield, where the flight was due to take off from.
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“Wow – what a rush! I was so pleased it finally happened, because it was so worth waiting for. As soon I got down I wanted to up again!
“Waiting for my name to be called throughout the day intensified the nerves, but then I remembered why I was doing it and that kept me going. Having Esmee and my husband there was a real support.
“The National Deaf Children’s Society has been so helpful and supportive of Esmee and my family over the years, that I just wanted to give a little bit back.”
The NDCS offers specialist support, information, and resources to the families of the more than 50,000 deaf children in the UK
Tamsin Bayliss, who supports fundraisers for the National Deaf Children’s Society, said:
“I want to say a massive congratulations to Sonya for taking the plunge with this hair-raising skydive for us. We’re so proud of you.
“The National Deaf Children’s Society is dedicated to supporting the UK’s 50,000 deaf children and their families. The efforts of selfless fundraisers like Sonya will help us to keep on doing our vital work, now and into the future.”
More information about the support the National Deaf Children’s Society provides is available via: ndcs.org.uk
More details about Sonya’s fundraising are available via her JustGiving page at: justgiving.com