A FATHER whose baby died of heart complications is to do a sponsored sky-dive in aid of charity.
Mark Staley lost four-month-old daughter Lauren last September of complexities connected to the genetic condition Down's syndrome, with which she was born, and now he and four brave colleagues are carrying out the jump in her memory.
The 31-year-old has already donated £1,500 collected at Lauren's funeral to the Down's Syndrome Association and Ronald McDonald House at Alder Hey Hospital, where his daughter was cared for, and now wants to help the association again.
He said: 'I don't think people are aware of these sorts of issues connected with Down's Syndrome but as much as I'm trying to raise awareness, it's more about trying to raise funds for charity.
'The Down's Syndrome Association relies almost entirely on voluntary donations to continue operating yet it helps the families and the people who have the condition live full and rewarding lives.'
Mark, of Chestnut Close, Middlewich, is no stranger to jumping out of a plane thousands of feet in the air, having done a tandem skydive six years ago for Cancer Research, and he hopes to raise around £2,000 through the leap which will be matched by his employer, Barclays, based at Gad-brook Park, Rudheath.
Brave colleagues Sarah Oldham, Kimberley Lewis, Jenny Hill and Sharon Martindale will be joining him though they aren't quite as confident!
He said: 'I'm looking forward to this and have no fear at all, unlike my colleagues who have never done this before and are a bit nervous.
'I always wanted to do another jump as the last one was in December 2000 so it was extremely cold.
'I was jumping into temperatures of -25°c but as I'm doing this during the summer months it will be a lot warmer.'
