80-year-old Dorothy Everett is a retired nurse from Portesham who recently completed a birthday skydive to raise funds for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and the Three Ells Trust charities.

Dorothy decided to take on the adventure to mark her landmark birthday and was joined by her friends Andy Murdoch and Kim Dawl. The 15,000 feet tandem skydive took place at Dunkeswell Airfield, near Honiton and saw a 60-second freefall and then about 5-6 minutes to reach the ground.

Speaking of the experience, Dorothy said:

I am proud that we decided to do it, although my friends and family thought I was crazy. On the day it was good weather with minimal wind and when the canopy opened, I could see all the beautiful views around me. The only time I was nervous was when we were landing because I have bad knees, but thankfully my instructor Ryan handled it really well. It was great, I can thoroughly recommend it and I would like to do it again, or even do a wing walk for one of my next birthdays, that’s if I can persuade my son to let me!

So far, Dorothy’s skydive has raised £1,103.75, which includes donations via JustGiving and gift aid. How incredible is that!

Fancy taking on the challenge and skydiving for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance? If you want to take on the challenge and skydive for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, we work in partnership with two companies, Skydive.Buzz and Go Skydive. Both offer thrill-seekers an opportunity to combine the most exciting and exhilarating moment of their lives, with raising funds for our life-saving charity. Want to book one today or find out more? Just visit: www.dsairambulance.org.uk/skydive Find out more about skydiving in aid of your local air ambulance