Martin Gunner from Oswestry, will be taking to the skies this summer in a Charity skydive. Martin is making the leap to raise vital funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities UK after using one of the charity’s Houses in 2020 when his baby daughter was treated in hospital.

On the day Clementine Hope was born, every parent’s worst nightmare became a reality for Martin and his wife, Sophie. Their little baby girl’s condition was critical and she was resuscitated numerous times before being urgently transferred Liverpool’s Arrowe Park’s Intensive Care Unit.

Clementine spent her first five weeks in intensive care where she was hooked up to a ventilator and more wires than you can imagine. Her unstable condition meant she was three weeks old until they even got to hold her in their arms.

Despite being told every day for the first few weeks that Clementine might not make it through the night, every single day she surpassed all expectations. After two months in the intensive care and high dependency units, Clementine finally came home on 23rd April.

Martin explained that during this extremely difficult time they were lucky enough to have been given a room at the Ronald McDonald’s House at Arrowe Park Hospital.

“This beautiful charity kept our family together at the most difficult time of our lives. They gave us somewhere to stay just above where our little princess was fighting so hard for her life. We were never more than a few minutes away from her the entire time. The staff worked hard to uplift our spirits while being very respectful. Nothing was too much trouble.

“Ronald McDonald House Charities UK provides families with somewhere to rest, cook and sleep all within a short distance from Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and doesn’t charge a penny to parents, like us, who really needed it.

“During such a hard time, I don’t know what we would have done without them.”

The skydive is being run for the very first time by Ronald McDonald House Charities UK and will take place this summer to raise money to help the Charity continue to provide free ‘home away from home’ accommodation for families with children in hospital.

On Saturday 19 June and Sunday 20 June at six jump sites across the UK, the sky dive will see teams of charity supporters, including Martin Gunner, jumping from over 10,000 feet in the name of charity. Thrill- seekers can take the leap from jump sites in St Andrews, Lancaster, Swansea, Northampton, Salisbury and Kent over both days.

Martin and his wife Sophie are hoping locals will support him on his fundraising challenge to give back to the charity which helped so much during this difficult time: www.justgiving.com/martin-gunner

To book your place and join Martin this summer you will need to pay a £50 deposit and then raise a minimum £400 in sponsorship. For further information about or to register for the Sky Dive weekend, visit www.rmhc.org.uk/event/skydive/

For the latest news and updates about Ronald McDonald House Charities UK visit www.rmhc.org.uk