 "a 102-year-old military veteran, is the oldest British skydiver")
a 102-year-old military veteran, is the oldest British skydiver
Manette Baillie, a 102-year-old military veteran, is Britain’s oldest skydiver. Baillie, who is from Benhall Green in Suffolk, performed the stunt on Sunday to celebrate her birthday and raise money for three charities that are “very close to her heart”.
The video of Baillie’s incredible feat has gone viral on social media, showing the moment she jumped out of a plane. In the video, she can be seen fearlessly jumping out of the plane while her teacher soars through the skies with a serene smile.
Watch the video here:
Baillie raised over £10,000 through this, but her aim was to raise around £30,000 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance, the Motor Neurone Disease Association and her local Benhall and Sternfield Ex-servicemen’s and Village Club, which she says is the heart and soul of the lovely community and is in significant need of redevelopment.
During World War II, Baillie served in Egypt with the Women’s Royal Naval Service (Wrens). Before her parachute jump, Baillie said: “You always have to look for something new. I was once married to a paratrooper, but I’ve never done a parachute jump myself.”
A large crowd of spectators gathered to support the 102-year-old veteran, including members of her local community who reached the airfield and witnessed the momentous jump.
After successfully completing the jump, she told Sky News that when the door opened, she thought there was nothing more she could do or say. Just jump!
Baillie thought she had jumped. “I remember my legs giving way and it’s kind of a blur. I closed my eyes. It seemed like we were travelling at very high speed,” she added.
The idea of skydiving came to her when she heard the story of her friend’s father, who had skydived at the age of 85 and wanted to jump again immediately after landing. Baillie said at the time that if an 85-year-old woman could do it, she could too.
The 102-year-old woman has now broken the record set by Britain’s oldest skydiver, Verdun Hayes from Devon, who achieved the feat in May 2017 at the age of 101.
She also has personal reasons for supporting charitable causes – for example, in 1969 a rescue helicopter saved the life of her son, who suffered a diving accident on the Isle of Wight.
This is not the first time she has completed such an adrenaline-fuelled challenge. On her 100th birthday, Baillie drove a Ferrari at a speed of 210 km/h.
Prince William, who previously volunteered for the charity, wrote: “Catherine and I have heard that you will be celebrating your 102nd birthday with a skydive next week! Knowing that you are celebrating your 100th birthday with a Ferrari race at Silverstone, we are not surprised.”
Before taking the plunge, she told BBC Radio Suffolk that staying healthy had encouraged her to take on the exciting challenges ahead.
She also said that she was lucky to be fit. She also mentioned that I couldn’t just waste it, other people were crippled by arthritis and I wasn’t.
She said her secret to a long and fulfilling life was “community, friends and being around people.”
She said, “Be interested in everything and be nice to the people around you and let them be nice to you. Don’t forget to celebrate.”
First published: 27 August 2024 | 16:38 IS
