Littlehampton wingwalker raises £2,000 for British Heart Foundation

A Littlehampton lady, who wingwalked on a plane at 81 years old, has been given the title as one of the top ten quirkiest fundraisers for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) as part of the charity’s new ‘Raise Funds Your Way’ campaign to help fund life saving research.

Thrill-seeker Jean Humphreys, 81, carried out a death-defying wing walk to raise money for the BHF charity after losing her husband to heart failure in 2011 following a stroke.

Jean said: “It was incredibly windy, but it was such an amazing experience. It’s great to do something really out of the ordinary for such a good cause.

“It’s wonderful to think that in five or ten years’ time someone could be saved because of the money I’ve raised for the BHF’s life saving research.”

A daredevil challenge, which saw Jean standing atop a plane as it reached speeds of 90mph, has raised over £2,000 for the charity.

The British Heart Foundation has revealed that coronary heart disease is the UK’s single biggest killer. It has been estimated that seven million people across the country are fighting a daily battle with cardiovascular disease, with 883,000 of those individuals living in the South East.

In response to the statistics, the BHF urges more people across the South East to organise their own unique fundraising events to help transform the lives of people living with these devastating conditions.

Head of ‘Raise Funds Your Way’ at the BHF, Tina Bajec, commented: “Jean’s story is an inspiration to us all and we are incredibly grateful for her support. Every pound raised will play a crucial role in funding new breakthroughs to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease.

“Around seven million people are living with these life-changing conditions, so we urgently need more people to help raise money for our research. By organising your own fundraising event like Jean you can help transform the lives millions of people in a way unique to you.”

To sign up and download a free fundraising pack visit www.bhf.org.uk/yourway.