Mum’s wing walk raises double her target

A thrill-seeking mum raised double her fundraising target after a sponsored wing walk to thank hospital staff who helped save her son’s life.

Louise Linden decided to take on the challenge as part of celebrations for her 40th birthday this year and took to the skies at Headcorn airfield.

It was the culmination of a childhood dream for the mum of two, from Folkestone, who grew up imagining following in the slipstream of wing walkers who impressed crowds at the town’s air shows.

She said: “It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“It was absolutely amazing and the views were fantastic. Once I was up in the air it was quite surreal, and I hadn’t really prepared for the G-force and speed of the air rushing past – my arms were aching the next day.”

Louise decided to raise money for East Kent Hospitals Charity, to benefit the neonatal intensive care unit at the William Harvey Hospital, where her son Oscar was cared for after he was born by emergency caesarean section.

The chartered accountant, who has already completed two sky-dives and a bungee jump, initially hoped to raise £1,000 but has now topped £2,000.

She said: “I’m so grateful to everyone who sponsored me and very happy to be able to help the unit and other parents and babies.

“Oscar is four now and happy and healthy, but he was very poorly when he was born with low levels of blood and oxygen.

“He was taken to NICU straight away and was there for a few days before he could move to the special care baby unit.

“They were fantastic with us and with Oscar so I wanted to give something back as a way of saying thank you to the team.”

If you are interested in taking on a challenge to support East Kent Hospitals Charity, visit https://www.ekhcharity.org.uk/events/