Queen's volunteer, 78, set for another daring skydive
Our 78-year-old adrenaline junkie Charlie is taking on another daring challenge – a skydive for our charity!
Charlie Richardson, who helps patients find their way around Queen’s Hospital in Romford, will skydive on 4 October in aid of King George & Queen’s Hospitals Charity.
But this isn’t even the first high adrenaline stunt he’s taken on to raise money for our hospitals’ charity.
He’s abseiled from high-rise buildings, climbed the O2 and scaled Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Nor is it his first skydive!
Charlie began raising money after his late wife, Marion, received treatment for breast cancer at the hospital.
Charlie said his motivation is simple: “If it helps one person, that's fine by me.
“Obviously, I try my best to help everybody, or as many as I can. If you can help one person, that's fine enough for me.”
The charity funds projects that enhance the hospital experience for patients, visitors and staff beyond what standard NHS funding provides. Previous projects have included new toys for our children’s wards.
For Charlie, the biggest challenge may be the moment before the jump, although he says there isn't much time to realise what he is about to do.
“You don't have time to think, because you're only there [over the edge] for about five seconds,” he said of his skydiving experiences.
“The guy leans you forward, you just tumble out, and after about 10 seconds, he pulls the cord and bang, you just drift down.”
Charlie is now fundraising through JustGiving, with donations going towards King George & Queen’s Hospitals Charity.