A NEWFOUND daredevil who took on a 13,000ft skydive is looking for her next hair-raising challenge to raise funds for a heartfelt cause.
Alice Hughes, who is an apprentice in the finance department of Basildon Council, leapt from the sky to raise money for a charity that provides wheelchairs and support for disabled children.
Miss Hughes, 21, of Stock Road, Billericay, took on the challenge to support Whizz-Kidz and raised nearly £1,000 for the charity in the five-month build-up to the sky-dive.
The former Billericay School pupil took on the feat on July 6 in Maidstone, Kent. She jumped from a plane at just under 13,000ft, free-fell to 5,000ft and then descended by parachute.
Miss Hughes said: "I wanted a new challenge and wanted to raise some money for a charity.
"I have never done anything like this before – I wanted to take it on. It was the biggest thing I've ever done."
She added: "I loved it – it was brilliant.
"Nothing can describe it and it was completely different to how I imagined it. I was nervous on the ground but in the plane the fear went away – I had to do it."
Miss Hughes, who enjoys running and yoga, also recently completed the Race for Life.
She contined: "I watched the ITV charity appeal Text Santa and saw Whizz-Kidz – I hadn't heard of them before but learnt they help disabled children get wheelchairs and give social support.
"I heard about a child who wanted to join in PE at school but couldn't – Whizz-Kidz helped him to go horse riding and encouraged him. So as well as wheelchairs they try to support children in other ways too."
She added: "I never realised how expensive specialised wheel chairs are – around £6,000 for one.
"I wanted to help in any way I could."
Miss Hughes now wishes to do more for the charity and explained that she hopes to do white water rafting next.
She added: "I didn't think I was a dare devil until I did the sky-dive."
To date, Miss Hughes has raised £902 for the charity and she explained that her family and friends have been very supportive helping her with her fundraising.
Her mother Elaine, father David, and brother Graham, 23, all came to watch her leap from the sky and Miss Hughes added that this support was very helpful.
Speaking of her daughter's brave deed, Elaine Hughes said: "She did so well with the amount she collected."
Donations can still be made to Whizz-Kidz on Alice Hughes' JustGiving page which can be found at http://www.justgiving.com/Alice-Hughes
