I’ll push my wife out of a plane... for charity

YOU’D think a man whose wife drew blood from him during a previous flight would be in no hurry to get back in the air with his other half – but at least this time he gets to push her out of a plane while they’re still nearly two miles up...
Paul and Wendy Simpson will take part in a charity parachute jump on their wedding anniversary Picture: Ian RutherfordPaul and Wendy Simpson will take part in a charity parachute jump on their wedding anniversary Picture: Ian Rutherford
Paul and Wendy Simpson will take part in a charity parachute jump on their wedding anniversary Picture: Ian Rutherford

Next month a husband will be helping his wife of nearly thirty years – who is terrified of heights and flying – celebrate their 29th anniversary with the quickest 10,000ft journey she’s ever likely to make.

Wendy Simpson, 52, who lives with self-employed husband Paul in Broxburn has already distinguished herself for her work with local charity River Kids, winning the prestigious title of Fundraising Hero 2012 at the national awards ceremony.

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But while some may have seen the night as their crowning achievement, for Wendy it was just the starting point for the biggest challenge she’s ever undertaken...

She explained: “During the awards they showed videos explaining what each charity does, and ours featured people doing a parachute jump. I honestly didn’t expect to win – so much so that I’d had quite a bit of wine by the time they called my name...” Which may go some way to explaining what happened next.

Wendy continued: “Fred MacAulay was hosting the event and he asked me if I’d ever done a jump. I answered with perhaps too emphatic a ‘no’. He asked what it would take to get me to do one and I, rather cheekily, replied: ‘Two grand of your money’. Imagine my horror when he said: ‘Okay’. I thought I might have an escape route as you need a doctor’s note when you’re my age, but he signed the form almost immediately.”

Paul has agreed to take part in the jump, though she suspects his motives are less than pure.

She said: “I’m a notoriously bad flier. About 12 years ago on a London to Edinburgh flight I ended up grabbing a stewardess and screaming because we hit a bit of turbulence. I’ve gotten better over the years, but I still managed to draw blood from Paul on a more recent flight to the US. This is his revenge, getting to actually push me out of a plane – and on our anniversary, no less!”

And Paul, 53, admits one reason he decided to take on the challenge was so he could see his wife’s “look of terror just before she jumps.”

He added: “I never thought she would actually do it. She can barely go up a ladder.”

Fred said: “I wish her the best of luck, it’s a great cause. Would I ever do a parachute jump? Never, for any reason, for any amount of money. Absolutely not.”

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Wendy and Paul will be jumping on August 10 at St Andrews Airfield. To sponsor them go to http://www.justgiving.com/wendy-simpson6

Art area funding

River Kids, West Lothian’s Children’s Charity, was formed in 2005 with the aim of helping local children maximise their potential.

Since then they have built a play area at St John’s hospital in conjunction with the Sick Kids Friends Foundation. The charity has also contributed £50,000 towards the cost of an art area within the hospital.