Great-gran, from Great Cornard, near Sudbury to leap from plane to raise money for Emmaus charity

A great-grandmother is to skydive in memory of her son.

Miki Davies is planning to make the leap on her 71st birthday on September 21.

She is doing the skydive in memory of her son, Tom, and the charity that helped him.

Miki, from Great Cornard, said: “Tom suffered with alcohol addiction and used to stay sometimes at the Emmaus hostel in St Albans.

“Some of the staff there were very helpful to him.

“For my 70th birthday last year, I also asked for donations to be made there and we managed to raise £900, which was great.

“Tom sadly died five years ago, when he was in London, and it was a shock.

“We share the same birthday and he would have been 44 this year, so I will be thinking of him and hope to raise as much money as possible for those who helped him.”

Miki will make the jump at Beccles Airfield. She is hoping to raise £2,000.

The former nurse and teaching assistant said: “I saw my grandson’s daughter, Carmen, do it earlier this year when she was raising money for the neo-natal unit at Ipswich Hospital, where my great-grandson, Sienna, was born.

“I thought, I want to do that.

“People think I am mad. but I’m really looking forward to it. I’m not nervous at all really.

“I do yoga and Pilates to keep fit so it should be fine.

“It’s also a tandem jump so I will have someone with me all the way.”

Emmaus is a homelessness charity which provides a home, meaningful employment and support for as long as it’s needed for people in need.

There are 29 Emmaus communities across the UK which support more than 800 people, known within Emmaus as companions.

People are given the chance to regain their confidence and build their self-esteem with no time limit.

Miki, a mum-of-three, will be supported on the day by family, friends and neighbours.

To donate, visit www. www.gofundme.com and search for Miki’s skydive.

Husband Roger, 75, said: “I certainly wouldn’t do it, but Miki is really excited.

“She’s looking forward to it and we’ll be there to support her.

“The team at the airfield are all very professional and organised so she should be fine.

“We hope she can raise a lot of money for the charity.”