Sophie Unwin wing walks for Pilgrims Hospice

On 19 September, our brave colleague Sophie Unwin from our Canterbury office, took part in a wing walk raising an incredible £830 for one of our nominated charities, Pilgrims Hospice.

Sophie commented; “I like to take part in the challenges put on by the charities we support every year. Pilgrims also has a very special place in my heart as the hospice in Canterbury gave comfort and support to my aunt and her children during her final days battling MND (Motor Neurone Disease) in April this year.

“Like many other charities, when the rest of the world went into lockdown, the amazing work that Pilgrims Hospices carried out in the community did not stop, but many of the events and opportunities to raise the vital funds for the charity had to be cancelled. As we get used to the ‘new normal’ I wanted to raise as much as I can to help Pilgrims Hospices give the support and comfort to people living with terminal illnesses, like my aunt, and their families, when they need it the most.”

“Luckily it was one of those perfect September days, the sky was clear, and it was still quite warm. After registering at The Wing Walking Company hut at Headcorn I was given my own area for me and my family to sit, adhering to COVID safety procedures, and was able to watch other fundraisers taking their flight before it was my turn. After being strapped up on the plane we had to wait for a few extra minutes as another plane of skydivers were making their descent, but after that it was my turn and up we went.”

Sophie took to the skies flying between 100ft and 700ft with speeds of between 80mph and 110mph on a Boeing Stearman, which was built in 1942 and originally used for training in WW2.

“I had taken part in a skydive for Pilgrims Hospice at Headcorn in November last year and the wing walk was just as exhilarating. However, the difference was that I was able to enjoy the surrounding views more and it wasn’t as cold! Looking back at the GoPro video The Wing Walking Company took, I didn’t realise how fast we were flying at points, but the cheek wobble and difficulty to put my arms down gave it away!”

If you are interested in finding out more about Pilgrims Hospices or would like to make a donation, please visit their website; https://www.pilgrimshospices.org/. Donations can be made on The Pilgrims Hospice website and can be found here.