Denmead mum challenges herself with charity skydive on anniversary of her father's death

Lynne Davies raised more than £1,000 for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) by completing a tandem skydive from 15,000 feet. She decided to take on the daredevil feat to remember her father, Neil Westgarth. He died, aged just 50, after suffering a heart attack on May 5, 1996 which also happened to be the date of Lynne’s 23rd birthday.

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‘Dad was such an inspiration to me,’ said Lynne. ‘His motto was to seize the day and he had an unfailingly optimistic outlook on life. He was always laughing and would do karaoke at any excuse. Losing Dad was awful and even though it was a long time ago, those memories are still painful.

‘Every birthday since then has been a reminder of his death. I either try to forget about that date or celebrate on a different day.’

Tired of the unhappy memories that had come to be associated with the date, Lynne decided that radical action was needed ahead of her own landmark birthday. She said: ‘As I was turning 50 this year, I thought it was time to shock my brain and create a new memory to associate with that date. Jumping out of a plane has always seemed like a terrifying idea to me and an experience I’d never forget.’

The mother-of-three, who works as a professional artist, described her skydive as ‘completely overwhelming’. She said: ‘The day before my jump the weather was awful, and I thought the skydive would have to be postponed to an irrelevant date. However, the sun came out just in time.

‘I reached my fundraising target just as I was about to board the plane. I was buzzing and knew this would be such a completely different birthday.

‘When we reached 15,000 feet I was struck by the freezing cold and just how high we were. I put all my trust in my lovely instructor, and we tumbled out of the plane.

‘The view and feeling were completely overwhelming. It was incredibly special and beautiful. My plan worked. I felt genuinely happy on my birthday for the first time in years. I'm sure my dad would be proud.’

In Hampshire, about 4,600 people die from heart and circulatory diseases each year. The BHF funds research into conditions like heart attack and stroke, as well as the risk factors that can cause them, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

BHF fundraising manager Ben Bishop said that he was very moved by Lynne’s decision to take on this challenge: ‘Losing a loved one is always devastating, especially when it is so unexpected. Lynne’s story is a powerful reminder that when lives are lost, they are not forgotten.

‘The money she had raised will help the scientists we fund continue their work looking for new ways to prevent and treat heart attacks and keep families together for longer.’