The Jump

The sun was smiling on the us the day 19 BoobyBirds - and one BoobyBloke - jumped out of a plane 10,000 ft in the air. I knew we were 10,000 feet up because I checked the altimeter on Dave's wrist before Dave and I, attached together, slipped from the side of the plane into thin air!
It was a long day. Two Birds went up at a time. On the ground, there was the most amazing spirit. Everyone cheering all who set off in the really small cessna. And then more cheering and celebrations when everyone landed.
So many things went through my mind. Watching a tiny plane up in the sky and waiting until your eyes picked up a tiny figure, then another. The suspense was tight.
Here were the people who took part: all of them amazing becase some were facing real fear. But they were doing it because facing the fear of jumping out of a plane may be a little something like the fear of cancer. And perhaps this might go to show that fear can be conquered. And maybe, with the £400,000 the BoobyBirds are raising, breast cancer can be conquered too.

1.Tina Korup and Irene Grant

2.Debbie Mitchell and Harry St Clair (on behalf of her mum Anna)

3.Katrina Malone and Alison McGregor

4.Alison Demarco and Elizabeth Baker

5.Issy Warrack and Sally Tyrrell (a mum and daugher team. Really sweet)

6. Karina McTeague and Linda Birkbeck

7.Bernadette Murphy and Kate Reid

8.Angela Paterson and Erikka Askeland

9. E Korup and Allison Willis

10. Paul Tyrrell and Elaine McKean

You can tell by my face how pleased I am. What an amazing experience. But it's rather nice to be back safely in the arms of loved ones.

Here's me with Angela Paterson, my jump buddy. Such a laugh. And such a transformation. Born in St Andrews, she was looking to be reborn. And if the transformation from terrified jumper to 'wanna do it again, I feel great' is anything to go by, I think we had a pretty good day...

Here's Karina McTeague and Linda Birkbeck preparing to jump. Don't they look like they've got the Right Stuff?

All the jumpers got a big hug from Christine and Tina. And a glass of champagne. Mine went down in nearly a gulp. Best chmpagne I've every had. It took all day but yet the excitement never flagged. Pretty good hug too!

Some jumpers had a tell-tale glow after the jump. Here's Irene Grant, grinning fabulously, with her friend celebrating. Irene along with Tina Korup were the first jumpers!

How proud

I love this picture of Alison McGregor after her jump. Some people were enjoying the anticipation of jumping more than others and Alison looked worried! Here she looks truimphant. And her wellwishers look so proud.

Jumping tomorrow

Oh God. I'm jumping out of a plane tomorrow. What kind of stupid person thinks that is a good idea?
I've not been at all fazed by it - until today.
But I'll do it. I will think about my uncle, a former paratrooper who jumped out of a thousand planes. (I won't think about the fact he refuses to step foot on a plane now...)
I won't think about one of my sponsors, who wrote wishing me good luck and then mentioned he tried it once and broke his leg!
And I'm really sorry about this, I didn't want to bring it up. But I won't think about my friend Jean Guy.
I might say more about Jean Guy later. He really loved skydiving. I'm certain of one thing, he'd think it's a great idea what we were doing tomorrow

The Gala

Ever since we all joined to become a Boobybird, original Boobybird Tina Korup and Elaine McKean from the Indigo PR have been planning the Gala. It took place last Friday and what a gala dinner it was! I took some pictures, but as I was participating as well as observing, I didn't take 'the shot' which would have captured it all.

This is a cause for regret in retrospect - I regret I didn't take a picture of Tina, a vision in pink satin and precious jewels from Hamilton & Inches, which we realised were up for auction (the jewels, that is). Nor did I get a picture of her game Danish cousin, (whose name I will insert here when I refer back to my notes...), who modeled a racy, lovely basque - on stage - to demonstrate another auction prize donated by those purveyors of fine lingerie, Boudiche. Nor did I get a pic of Fred Macaulay, who acted as compere and auctioneer. I've been to a few charity auctions in my time, but seldom are they as funny and entertaining as Fred's are. Takes some thinking on the feet - well done, Fred.

But the pic that captured the fun of the evening is this, of Anna St Clair, goofing around with the special BoobyBird themed dessert - catch what they were getting at? It was such a fun event, and more importantly it raised £40,000 for BoobyBirds.

The last picture I missed was of Christine Tulloch, handing a bouquet of flowers to Tina, thanking her for all her efforts, and cheering the fact that, with the night's takings, we'd reached the £400,000 over-all target they had envisioned all those months ago when Tina met her friend recovering from breast cancer and wondered 'what can I do to help?'...

The new WI - that's Women's Informal

The second time was even better. I have to admit it wasn't easy getting such a fabulous group of Interesting and Influential women together in Edinburgh at the fag end of festival season - even with the lure of generous wine and canapes provided so kindly by Radisson SAS Royal Mile. But it was a great night, and added another £650 to the pot. It also gave me a chance to talk about my next fundraiser event - my curry and beer night at Britannia Spice in Leith on the 30th of September (pencil it in your diary) as well as my final campaign - the 100 in for 100, where I get 100 wonderful, generous people to donate £100 to a very good cause - Boobybirds!

But the WI puts the fun in fundraising. Here's some pics. This one, to me, is the essence of why I'm making to effort to drive the new WI. On the left is Susanna Freedman whom I met very early on when I arrived in Edinburgh three years ago. This lively managing director of design and brand management company Tsuko took me to a cracking French restaurant for lunch, and we've kept in touch ever since. She's talking with Anna St Clair, founder of 50-strong franchise The Ceramic Experience. I just knew that given the chance to meet they'd get on like a house on fire. And I don't think they'd mind me reporting here that they did!

On the left, Denise West, ad director for Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail - Insider's sister publications in Scotland. She and her friend Kai McCabe, head of one of Scotland's biggest and most successful recruitment agencies, Search, together made the winning bid for the evening's prize (glamorous Kai somehow managed to avoid the camera!). That was the trip for two to Reykjavik, hotel courtesy of the Four Star Radisson SAS Saga in Iceland and plane tickets courtesy of Icelandair (many thanks to the hotel and the airline for the donation!). I loved Reykjavik when I went there last year with my sister. Denise and Kai's winning bid was £400 - all for Boobybirds. Plus they pledged to join the 100 in for 100 club! Next to Denise is Carole Ann Massie who does personnel training for the oil & gas industry, and next to her is Joan Cradden, a partner at law firm Brodies. I met Joan at an Insider round table, where she shared her crack employment law expertise with us on a panel debate. I also found out she's an expert shopper and I might try to lure her away from the law to become an Insider retail correspondent!

On the left is Jen Lang from PWC. We had lunch the other day after long last, so it was great to see her out again. In the centre is Charlotte Pyk, glowing from both her recent holiday and her pregnancy. She's been a real gem in all this. I sent her a wee note to her thanking her for all her help and for marshalling the full strength of the Radisson's hospitality. They provided drinks all evening and some moreish canapes in order so that all the proceeds donated at the door could all go to Boobybirds, which is impressive. And if my Interesting and Influential women got a chance to look at the Dicksons Bar which is available for Christmas parties, then so be it! And of course, next to her is Christine Tulloch. That woman has a real talent for good spirits, which is even more impressive considering her fight with cancer is the inspiration for BoobyBirds.