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House that for a generous act

30/11/2006

HEYWOOD Advertiser staff Michael Byrne and Vicki Holman's fundraising efforts for people with cerebral palsy and mental health problems received a huge boost this week.

Estate Agent Andrew Kelly has sponsored their skydive to the tune of £440, which will pay for the cost of the jump at the Black Knights Parachute Centre in Lancaster.

This means that every penny Vicki and Michael raise will now go straight to the mental health charity Mind and Scope, which helps people with cerebral palsy.

These are the charities mayor Jean Hornby has chosen to raise money in her year as first citizen.

Staff at Andrew Kelly are big supporters of Scope as they recently organised a ball at the Broadfield Hotel in Rochdale, which raised £13,000 for the charity. Senior finance partner Jim Burns, one of the main people behind that event, is climbing to the first base camp of Everest in February for Scope.

He has previously scaled these heights and also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Aconcagua for the children's charity Whizz-Kidz.

Jim said: "I have climbed mountains but at least my feet are always on the ground.

"I would never be able to jump out of an aeroplane so I really admire Vicki and Michael for what they are doing, particularly as Michael is scared of heights.

"Scope and Mind are great charities and the company is very happy to support Vicki and Michael's jump."

Cllr Hornby met staff at the estate agents as the cheque was handed over to Vicki and Michael.

The donation brings the amount they have raised to more than £900.

Cllr Hornby said: "I'm really pleased that Andrew Kelly are supporting the skydive in this way as this donation now means that every penny Michael and Vicki raise will go to the charities."

Michael added: "This is a great gesture from Andrew Kelly and really gives us tremendous encouragement to go out and raise more money for these two very worthy causes."

Vicki and Michael will jump out from the aeroplane at 10,000ft and spend 30 seconds freefalling to about 5,000ft before their parachutes open.

Neither of them has ever done a parachute jump before but they will be doing the tandem jump strapped to an experienced jumper so they will be perfectly safe.

Parys helps fund spring

THE Advertiser's parachute jump collection received another boost over the weekend when nine-year-old Parys Jackson braved the cold at the Christmas lights switch-on.

Parys, of Glencoe Close, Darnhill, put on her glamorous carnival dress to go round rattling a collecting tin for the cause.

Cash the Woodland Community Primary School pupil collected will go in the mounting pot being collected by Advertiser staff Michael Byrne and Vicki Holman, which stands at more than £900.

Parys' mum Janet said: "Parys does morris dancing with a group in Higher Blackley and enjoys doing a lot of fundraising.

"The day after she was collecting at the Christmas lights' switch on she was out again packing bags at Asda in Moston."

Parys is pictured in her carnival outfit