Skydiving grannies, 85 and 75, plummet to Earth for good cause

By Isobel Williams

This is the moment two adventurous grandmas jumped from a plane to raise money for their care home.

Joan Small, 85, and Liz Lord, 75, made their bold jump from the skies on Sunday (September 14) in a fundraising effort for their care home in Banstead, Surrey.

The duo was asked if there was anything that they wanted to do to assist fundraising efforts, and Joan came up with the idea of a skydive, which they say staff had thought was a joke.

However, months later, the ladies were seen diving 15,000 feet through the sky into a field, with huge smiles on their faces.

Joyous footage from the day shows the merry grans landing on the grass as onlookers cheer them on.

Liz, who is originally from Australia, said: “We both have had good lives but at our ages it was an experience we thought we would never get again so we might as well go for it while we could.

“We were very pleased and excited about doing it. We were also nervous, Joan more so because she couldn’t see what was going on so she had to put a lot of trust in the people around her.

“We were looked after really well when we were down there. It was a very exciting thing to do, and we knew everyone was supporting us and backing us. It was a great idea.

“It was absolutely wonderful. It was very adventurous for us both. We were so lucky that we got a very calm spell of weather.”

The ladies both moved into the home, which is run by the Royal Alfred Seafarers' Society, with their husbands, who sadly died within a short time of each other.

More from this section

Forgotten medieval kingdom and castle rediscovered on island

In mega-city Lagos, 20 million count on just 100 ambulances

WATCH: Trump designates Antifa a 'major terrorist organization'

It is because of the support they received throughout this tough time that they decided to fundraise for the home.

Liz says her husband, Captain Alan Lord, had suffered from dementia and that in his honor the pals run a memory café every month.

The adrenaline-seeking grannies raised an incredible £6,000 with their skydive, which they say will be used to provide music therapy and sleep machines.

The best friends, who each have two children, say their families live abroad in Australia, New Zealand, and Wales, so they feel even more grateful for the support from the charity.

Liz, a grandma-of-one, added: “We wanted to give back to the home and show others how wonderful it was. We raised such a great amount of money that we can get more music therapy into the home.

“It is a wonderful home. Everyone has supported us both through everything. We just can’t say enough about the support and kindness that we have here.

“We want to continue giving back to everyone else. We appreciate all the people who have supported us, and we are looking now for something else to do.”

The thrill-seeking pair are now looking for a new adventure to continue their fundraising efforts, but say they have yet to come up with an idea.

David Dominy, CEO of The Royal Alfred, said: “We are always inspired by the determination of our residents and tenants here at The Royal Alfred.

“Joan and Liz’s skydiving challenge is an excellent example of their adventurous nature and their zest for life.

“The efforts of Joan and Liz remind us of the incredible community spirit that exists here at Royal Alfred as we continue to support ageing seafarers, veterans and their loved ones, to receive the care they deserve irrespective of their financial means.”