A blind man has become the ‘Designated Daredevil’ for a skydive that will see him leap 12,000ft from a plane in order to raise money for students who attend Queen Alexandra College (QAC) and are blind, partially sighted or have other disabilities.
Paul Hopkins, 40, from Cotteridge, has been blind since childhood and is a member of staff at QAC, a registered charity. He, along with others, will jump out of a plane in a tandem skydive at Hinton Airfield, Oxfordshire on Saturday May 10, 2008.
Paul, QAC All Formats Manager, said: “One of my biggest questions in life is why? Just ask anyone who has known me for any reasonable amount of time, and they’ll tell you that this is true.
“There are a million reasons why I wouldn’t want to jump out of a speeding plane, but, then I thought, why not? For me, the decision isn’t that strange as it makes perfect sense to raise money for a place where I gained so many skills and a new-found confidence in myself.
“Plus, it would also be my way of helping to make a difference to students both now, and in the future, and it’s a way of saying thank you for what I have gained from my time at the College.”
To sponsor Paul in his charity skydive challenge, or to take part yourself, contact the QAC fundraising team on 0121 428 5057 or 0121 428 5064. You can also support the QAC skydive by logging on to www.justgiving.com/qacskydive
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