'I’m terrified of heights' - Sunderland running club members set to do charity sky dive

This weekend six members of the Sunderland Warriors will leap from a plane as they bid to raise £1,500 for Macmillan Cancer Support. The jumps will take place at the Sky-High Skydiving club at Peterlee Parachute Centre.

The running club, which is open to anyone of any ability, has been touched by cancer in recent times with two members suffering from the disease. One has overcome it while the other is undergoing treatment.

This has inspired the six jumpers, none of whom has ever done a skydive before.

Tori Humble is director of Sunderland Warriors and also the club’s founder. An extremely active woman, in addition to being a fitness instructor she is also a special support assistant and a mother of four.

But Tori was determined to make the time. In addition to the two members who have suffered from cancer, she lost her nana Ivy Dean to the disease a few years ago.

Tori said: “Macmillan were a great support to her, coming and just talking to her as well as helping with practical things. It meant she had someone other than her family who could give her a different response.”

She is treating the skydive with great trepidation, but is leading by example.

Talking about the big event, Tori added: “It’s my first one. None of us have skydived before and I’m terrified of heights! I can’t even bear to sit on a plane. But I thought ‘This could be the new me’. I must be one of those adrenaline junkies.

“It’s for a good cause and because I’m the leader of the club, I needed to do it.

“I don’t like to say ‘no’ to people and I’m told we should do one thing every day that scares us. If we’re doing it then we should do it for a reason.

“Cancer affected most people at some time. Everyone knows someone who’s got it or had it.”

To sponsor the Sunderland Warriors in their daring fundraiser, go to the Facebook page for “Tori's Tandem Skydive for Macmillan Cancer Support”.

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