Three family members are preparing to jump from a plane at 10,000ft in memory of a much-loved Andover woman, while raising vital funds for the hospice which cared for her during the final stages of her life.
Simon Ayres, Sean Curtis and Kaylee Curtis will take part in ‘Jumping for Jo’ on Sunday, 30 August, completing a tandem skydive at GoSkydive at Old Sarum Airfield near Salisbury.
The challenge is being held in memory of Jo Hibbert, from Andover, who died two years ago and is remembered by those closest to her as an extraordinary woman with a remarkable ability to make people feel loved, valued and, above all, that they belonged.
Jo touched the lives of people across the community, from neighbours and friends to members of her choir and NHS colleagues.
Those closest to her say she had a special way of making everyone she met feel that they mattered, leaving a lasting impression on countless people throughout Andover and beyond.
Two years after her death, Jo’s grandson Simon and godson Sean wanted to find a fitting way to celebrate the important place she held in their lives.
Together with Sean’s wife, Kaylee, they decided to face something none of them has ever attempted before – jumping from a plane at 10,000ft.
The trio hope the challenge will not only celebrate Jo’s life but raise as much money as possible for the Countess of Brecknock Hospice in Andover, which cared for her with dignity, compassion and kindness.
The family said: “Two years ago, we lost an extraordinary woman who had a remarkable ability to make people feel loved, valued and, above all, that they belonged.
“Jo opened her heart to neighbours, friends and so many people who came into her life. She had a wonderful way of making people feel that they mattered, and she became a very special part of the lives of so many people around her.
“Jo may no longer be with us, but the love she gave so freely continues to live on in all those whose lives she touched.”
The family has also paid particular thanks to Laura at the Countess of Brecknock Hospice, whose kindness helped Jo enter the hospice when she needed its care.
While the jump is being carried out in Jo’s memory – affectionately referred to as ‘Miss Hibbert’ – Simon, Sean and Kaylee say they will also be thinking of other local families who have experienced the hospice’s end-of-life care.
Supporting Andover’s hospice
The Countess of Brecknock Hospice provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care for adults living with life-limiting illnesses in Andover and the surrounding villages, as well as providing support and comfort for their families, friends and carers.
The hospice relies heavily on charitable support and voluntary donations to help maintain the services and standard of care it provides to people across the local area.
For Simon, Sean and Kaylee, taking the leap from 10,000ft is a chance to give something back to an organisation which was there for their family at one of the most difficult moments of their lives.
None of the three has completed a skydive before, making the challenge an especially daunting one.
But with Jo at the heart of the day, the trio hope people across Andover will get behind ‘Jumping for Jo’ and help turn their nerves into much-needed funds for a cause which means so much to them.
Every penny raised through the challenge will go to the Countess of Brecknock Hospice.
Donations can be made through the family’s ‘Jumping for Jo’ JustGiving fundraising page.