“Regular readers of this blog will already know how fortunate I feel I am to be able to work with Dogs for the Disabled. From meeting inspirational clients and seeing Ruby’s skills develop week to week, to being involved in a wide variety of unique experiences and events, such as the charity’s recent 21st birthday celebrations.

This week, Ruby and I were lucky enough to witness at first hand one such up-lifting occasion: 20 Dogs for the Disabled supporters literally throwing themselves out of a moving plane at 12,000 feet to raise much-welcomed funds for the charity.

Each volunteer was sponsored to make the tandem skydive, taking place at Hinton in the Hedges Airfield, where the speed of descent touches 120 mph.

Amongst the merry (but nervous) band of jumpers were one of the charity’s clients, numerous supporters (including Sophie Lowe – pictured below – from West Bar Vets in Banbury) as well as Dogs for the Disabled staff and family members.

As I had previously made a tandem skydive, my husband, Tim, volunteered to take the plunge for our family, so Ruby and I were there in a supportive capacity and were also using the event as a socialising experience.

With volunteers, their families, charity supporters, staff and over a dozen dogs in attendance, there was quite a crowd. Ruby was not phased by this, quickly calming down after her initial excitement, and proceeding to make firm friends with a 12-week-old Border Collie.

Distractions such as the small plane ferrying the skydivers to the start of their descent or the loud tannoy announcements for volunteer’s Familiarisation Training, did not affect Ruby, and she seemed to enjoy all the photo opportunities through the day.

Despite the intervention of rain clouds for a short while, all jumps were successfully completed, and over £5000 will have been raised for the charity.

The charity is always in need of volunteers and business supporters, whether raising funds or donating time and energy. If you read this blog and would like to help, please get in touch using the website below. It is not always a visible role, but is absolutely critical to the work and success of this wonderful charity. Thank you.”