Gran goes wing-walking (From Stroud News and Journal)

Gran goes wing-walking

A STROUD grandmother who took to the skies in a fearless attempt to raise money to improve the life of baby born deaf, blind and almost unable to move has raised over £4,000.

When 73-year-old Sheila Reubinson, of Bowbridge Lock, first heard of the plight of baby Nathan Potter she immediately decided she would do all she could to help make his life more comfortable.

Sheila is the mother of three healthy grown up sons and was profoundly moved when she heard that Nathan was born with analthalmia (no eyes) and hypotomia (no muscle tone) and was also deaf.

Nathan will need to be cared for all his life and will require expensive equipment to give him the best quality of life that his disabilities allow.

Despite having undergone spinal surgery, survived breast cancer and had a toe amputated, Sheila decided she would reach for the skies to help Nathan and attempt a sponsored wing walk on a 1940s bi-plane.

The Fitness Mill in Thrupp allowed her free training sessions three times a week for three months and on June 10 she was strapped on top of the wings of an Utterly Butterly bi-plane at Rendcomb airfield near Cirencester and flew circuits for 20 minutes.

She said the worst bit was taxi-ing across the grass before takeoff but once in the air she had the time of her life. "It was absolutely fantastic," she said.

Safely back on the ground and after a glass of champagne with two of her sons and granddaughter Goergia, Sheila got down to the tricky business of collecting the sponsorship.

"I don't think I've got a friend left," she said. "Nobody was safe for the six months I was raising the money."

The grand total so far is £4,234, some of which has already been given to Nathan's parents and been used to buy two special car seats for him and a chair with the spinal and head supports he needs.

Anyone who would like to make a donation to help buy further equipment can contact Sheila on 767732.

Meanwhile Sheila has no plans to involve herself in any further dangerous sports, not, that is, until she goes parasailing in September.