Fundraiser Kirsten skydives for eye charity
A payroll assistant at Exeter and Exmouth based chartered accountants Thompson Jenner has taken part in a sponsored tandem skydive for local charity See The Future.
Fundraiser Kirsten Ziemer, who works in the firms Exeter office, took part in the charity tandem skydive from Dunkeswell Airfield near Honiton in early August and raised over £400 for the charity.
The aim of See The Future is to make people aware how important it is to have a regular eye test, not just for their general eyesight, but to check for many other diseases and conditions that can be diagnosed through having an eye test.
The charity raises money for non-government funded eye care units, primarily research departments across the UK. These departments are badly in need of the specialist equipment that is required to diagnose diseases and to pioneer new drug and surgical treatments to prevent blindness and sight-threatening diseases.
Kirsten, who had never skydived before, said: “This was a first for me and I was a little apprehensive of what to expect leading up to the big day. However, there was a detailed brief on the day of the jump by a qualified instructor, so any apprehension soon turned to excitement.’’
“Once we had boarded the aircraft it took just a few minutes to reach the right altitude and before I knew it I was getting ready to make the jump. I had about a minute of amazing free fall before the instructor opened the parachute at around 5000ft. I then had a few minutes to enjoy the magnificent view over Devon before landing.”
She went on to say “This was an amazing experience and the fact that I was also able to raise money for charity made it very rewarding as well. I’d definitely do it again given the opportunity.’’
