Mayor Brian Higginson is getting ready to take the ultimate leap for his Mayoral charity, by jumping from a plane at 15,000 feet.
On Saturday 12 September, the Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council will swap the civic chain for a parachute as he joins almost 20 fellow daredevils for a tandem skydive in support of Air Ambulance Northern Ireland.
While the challenge may take him well outside his comfort zone, the Mayor hopes it will encourage people across Lisburn and Castlereagh to support his fundraising appeal and the charity’s lifesaving work.
By taking his fundraising efforts sky-high, the Mayor aims to raise funds and awareness to help keep its helicopters flying.
Mayor Brian Higginson said: “I am proud to support the lifesaving work of Air Ambulance Northern Ireland as my Mayoral charity. I’m humbled by the skill, dedication and compassion throughout the charity; from the pilots, doctors and paramedics providing critical pre-hospital care, to the charity team doing the fundraising needed to support this vital emergency service.
"I pledged to do anything I could in my Mayoral year to raise as much money as possible for them, so when they asked me if ‘anything’ included jumping out of a plane at 15,000 feet, it was hard to say no! Air Ambulance Northern Ireland provides a critical emergency service which is entirely reliant on donations from the public.
"Their target is to raise £8,200 per day to keep this vital service operational – that’s equivalent to £3 million per year. If throwing myself out of a perfectly good plane gets them closer to their funding goals, raises awareness of their work, and encourages more people to support them, then I’m willing to take the leap.”
Kerry Anderson, Head of Fundraising at Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, said: “We are thrilled that Mayor Higginson is taking part in our fundraising skydive on 12th September. He’ll be joined by nearly 20 other daredevils, all taking to the sky to raise the funds needed to keep our helicopters in the air.
"We urge everyone in Lisburn and Castlereagh to show their support for the Mayor and to donate if they can. They can also visit our website at airambulanceni.org to learn more about our work and ways to support it, including volunteering, fundraising, and becoming a member.”
The Mayor is calling on residents, businesses and community organisations across Lisburn and Castlereagh to give his fundraising total a lift by donating or sharing details of his challenge. Every donation will help Air Ambulance Northern Ireland continue providing its vital emergency service.
Support Mayor Brian Higginson’s charity skydive: Donate to the Mayor’s appeal
Find out more about Mayor Higginson’s support for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland: Visit the Mayor’s charity webpage.
Learn more about Air Ambulance Northern Ireland: Visit airambulanceni.org