Veronica gets ready to wing walk
Support worker Veronica is getting ready to complete a lifelong challenge this month when she straps in for a wing walk to raise money for FitzRoy.
Veronica works at FitzRoy’s Hampshire care home, Donec Mews, and has raised more than £1,300 so far for a family room where residents can spend quality time with their loved ones when they visit.
Veronica said: “I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie, in my spare time I take part in harness racing which is very fast paced, but I also love fast cars and anything that gives me a buzz. A few years ago I did a skydive, and I’ve also completed an abseil down the Spinnaker Tower to raise money for Donec.
“I’ve always wanted to do a wing walk, and after hearing I could do one while raising money for FitzRoy all I could say was ‘sign me up’!
“I am slightly nervous, you always are when something this big is approaching, but I am mainly looking forward to it. The hardest thing I’ve done so far is the abseil because it takes some guts to lean back into thin air, so I’m hoping a wing walk isn’t as scary!
“So far I’ve raised more than £1,300 which I am so proud of, and I am so grateful to everyone who has put money in, I’ve had so much support. We are planning on using the money towards building a dedicated family room at Donec Mews so families can visit more easily. We aren’t out of covid yet so at least families will be able to sit together away from the rest of the house.
“I have worked at Donec Mews for 16 years now, and the reason I have worked here for so long is completely down to the people who make up our service. From the people we support to the people I work with, it’s just such a lovely place to be. You can be having a really bad day but once you come in you feel like you have an extended family to help you through whatever is going on. The team just comes together through everything, and that has shown even more through the pandemic.
“The staff team have been amazing keeping everyone safe, they have been the calm consistency the people we support need during a time of uncertainty. It’s been harder for our residents during the pandemic, staff can go home at the end of the day but the people we support couldn’t see their families until recently. They have been incredibly strong and have coped with it so well, which is why it would be lovely to see them enjoy using a new family room.”
Service manager Karen said: “We all think Veronica is very brave to do a wing walk, it will help to raise much needed funds for our new family room. Veronica has done a skydive before so hopefully she will feel somewhat prepared for the big day – good luck Veronica!”
Veronica is completing her wing walk on 29 July – you can support her here.