Bingo ladies prepare for charity sky-dive

Aug 28 2008 by Sandra Walls, Hamilton Advertiser

A 63-year-old Hamilton widow was this week preparing for her first parachute jump.

Ann Higgins, from Mill Road, will plunge from a plane 10,000ft above the rolling hills of Perthshire.

The gran, who works at Mecca Bingo in Douglas Park Lane, Hamilton, will be joined by colleague Sharon Turnbull (29), from Whitehill.

The two women will make their jump strapped piggy-back-style to a professionally-trained skydiver.

Their names were drawn from a hat to take part in a Mecca-wide campaign to raise money for Whizz-Kids, a charity which supplies electric wheelchairs to disabled youngsters.

The sky-dive will take place next Saturday in the Auchterarder area.

Ann, an administrator at Mecca, started taking part in charity events 13 years ago following the death of her husband, Martin.

She said: “I’ve completed many tasks for charity, including a 10k walk to raise money for McMillan Nurses with another colleague, Marilyn Bell (44) from Earnock, but the most exciting was 11 years ago when I completed an 860ft abseil in the Lake District for the Anthony Nolan Trust.

“I am really excited about the parachute jump. I can’t wait.”

Mum-of-two Sharon, floor supervisor at Mecca, said: “I will be achieving two feats in one day as this is the first time I will have set foot on a plane, and it’s the first time that I will jump out of one too!”.

General manager of Mecca Duncan Anderson said: “This is just one of many fund-raising initiatives that the club has been holding over the past months to raise money for Whizz-Kidz.

“However, this is probably one of the most exiting and certainly the most nerve-wracking.”

Everyone at the club is proud of their colleagues for offering to do the skydive.

“Club members, friends and family have been generous so far with their donations.

Duncan added: “I urge anyone who hasn’t donated yet, to dig deep. After all, it’s not everyday someone offers to throw themselves out of a plane.”

People can sponsor Sharon and Ann or make donations at the Mecca Bingo.

Alternatively, you can send a cheque, made payable to Whizz-Kidz, to Mecca, FAO Duncan Anderson, General Manager, Douglas Park Lane, Hamilton Retail Park, ML3 0DF.