In early October, Richard Tennant ticked off another bucket list challenge by completing a wing walk. He took to the skies to raise vital funds for The Myton Hospices in memory of his mum, Sandra.
Sandra was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and as her condition deteriorated, the family received support from our Myton at Home team for a week. Sandra was then admitted to Warwick Myton hospice, where she spent five days before she sadly died in May 2019, aged 65.
Richard said:
As a family, we can’t thank the nurses at Myton enough for everything they did for mum and us. That’s why I am taking part in these crazy activities, to give back for what they gave us during mum’s last few weeks.
Having previously completed our Myton Skydive, Richard knew he wanted to raise the bar even higher. Encouraged by his customers at Tesco Express in Warwick, where he works, he set his sights on an aerobatic wing walk to raise even more money for Myton.
Richard commented:
It was an awesome day and such an incredible, surreal experience. My pilot was a professional stunt pilot so I felt so safe in his capable hands, and the whole team were fantastic.
We did a loop-the-loop, barrel roll and a stool turn which I was apprehensive about, but it was exhilarating! I’m so grateful it was a beautiful day as we were rather unlucky with the weather the days preceding and following it – I think mum was looking down on me!
During his wing walk, Richard reached heights of 3,000 ft and raised an incredible £2,721, smashing his target of £1,600!
Local shops and pubs played a key role in Richard’s success, including The Unicorn Pub, Tesco Express in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Tesco Express in Lillington, and The Castle Inn, each hosting a donation bucket.
The Tesco Express where Richard works also had a bucket, and he even donned the Myton mascot costume, Monty the Bear, to fundraise throughout the summer at events like the Cubbington Village Fete, at the Tesco Superstore in Warwick and his Tesco Express. Richard also received support from Myton volunteer and fundraising legend Margaret Kite, who raised an impressive £130.88 for his challenge.
Richard added:
I am overwhelmed by the generosity and support from the local community. I’d like to thank all the stores and pubs that held donation buckets for my cause, and everyone who contributed.
The donations were absolutely amazing, but the support meant even more! 90% of our customers are regulars, and having them cheer me on is something I’ll never forget. They’re already encouraging me to take on another challenge next year! I might take a break from the bucket list for now – but never say never!
Find out more about Richard’s previous challenges and his story HERE!
We are in awe of Richard and his bravery in fundraising for Myton!
We recently launched our Urgent Appeal to raise £240,000 to fund the recruitment, training and salary of five Registered Nurses for a year to ensure more people can access a Hospice Bed at Myton when they need it.
With the amazing support from people like Richard, we can continue to be there for more people living with a life-limiting illness and their families across Coventry and Warwickshire.
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