Hospice staff taking to the skies for charity

A Strabane man is among a dedicated group of workers in the Foyle Hospice undertaking a skydive in the name of charity.

Bill Duncan, head chef at the facility, which provides palliative care for people suffering from cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, will be jumping out of a plane with five other people, including his two sons, to raise vital funds for the facility.

Asked what inspired him to be part of the dive, Bill said, “I see day in, day out, the brilliant work that they do and the absolute importance of it. This was the chance to do something for these workers who work tirelessly for every person who uses the Hospice and raise a few pounds.

“The idea of a skydive is something that we’ve kicked around for a while and this seemed the perfect opportunity to do it.

“Jumping out of a plane might seem a bit extreme, I know. There are other ways to fundraise, but I love being active and extreme sports are my thing; I enjoy surfing, rock-climbing, road biking, snowboarding and a lot of other sports like that, so jumping out of a plane isn’t too bad,” he joked.

Alongside Bill, his sons Connor and Marcus and three other hospice staff will be taking to the skies on August 6 and Bill is hoping there will be no hiccups.

“I’m really hoping that we can do the jump on the day. It’ll be weather-dependent, of course, but Marcus lives in Liverpool and he’s coming over especially for the jump. I would hate for him to have to book flights and come over only to be told ‘the weather’s bad so it isn’t happening’ as he’ll have to do it all again if we need to reschedule.”

Bill was hopeful of reaching a £600 target and has already gotten a chunk of it, asking local suppliers who provide food to the hospice for a donation and he has not been found wanting, with every one of them obliging.

Also on hand is a JustGiving page, called ‘Foyle Hospice Staff Skydive’ and Bill is urging anyone who wishes to donate to do so with the words, “Every little helps.”