THE newly-appointed trustee of Wirral Mencap got off to a flying start for the charity by raising hundreds of pounds from a sponsored skydive.

Angela Hesketh was one of six people who fell 10,000ft for the organisation. Her efforts alone have raised almost £500.

The event marked the end of Learning Disability Week 2014, an annual national campaign led by the charity, which supports equal opportunities for people with a learning disability.

Angela, a legal executive and friend of the charity, was appointed a trustee in November 2013.

She said: “Since I joined the board I’ve been keen to proactively involve myself in raising both funds and awareness of Wirral Mencap.

“When the team announced that they were looking for people to participate in a sponsored Skydive I knew that this was the perfect opportunity for me to take the lead.

“The jump itself was fantastic. What a rush, a truly exhilarating experience – the freefall was over in what seemed like milliseconds and then we made our way down in a strange type of quiet towards the ground.

“It was the most amazing experience and I’m grateful to everyone for sponsoring us all – raising vital funds for a worthy local cause.”

For more on how to get involved visit www.mencapwirral.org.uk or call 0151 666 1829.