An Ottery woman will be plunging 15,000 feet to raise much-needed funds for East Devon’s new day hospice.

Jennie Sturley, who runs her own cleaning business, will be taking part in a tandem skydive at Dunkeswell Airfield tomorrow (Saturday, August 16).

So far she has raised more than £200 for Hospiscare’s East Devon Day Hospice Appeal and is looking to the local community to help her raise much more.

“I have always said I would never jump out of an aeroplane and could not understand why anybody would want to,” says the 29-year-old. “After a life changing couple of years I started to gain a completely new perspective on life and realised life is way too short not to experience as much as possible while I’m young and healthy.”

Her boyfriend surprised her with a voucher for a 5,000 feet static line jump for her birthday. However, Jennie decided to upgrade to a 15,000 feet tandem skydive and do it for charity.

She added: “As this is potentially a once in a lifetime experience and is in all honestly going to push any fear I’ve ever felt to the extreme I thought it would be a good idea to try and raise some money for charity in the process.”

Jennie was keen to support the Hospiscare appeal after reading a leaflet about the new hospice, which is being built in King Street, Honiton.

Hospiscare launched the day hospice appeal earlier in the year to raise £250,000 to complete the build and run the state-of-the-art centre. The fundraising total is now close to £150,000.

She said: “I’ve seen a few friends and family members go though the trauma of terminal illness and I know that any support for the person suffering and their families is absolutely invaluable.

“Where would we go in situations like that without the amazing support of charities such as Hospiscare.”

To sponsor Jennie visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/jenniesturley