Loughborough ladies reaching dizzy heights for Rainbows

 A team of housekeepers and a Trustee from Rainbows will be abseiling down a 212ft tower to raise money for us.

The ladies aim to raise hundreds of pounds by taking on the Derby Abseil on Saturday 10 September. Adventurous participants will get the rare chance to descend the 212ft tower – the second highest in the country. Anne-Maria Olphert, of Rothley, has been on the Board of Trustees at Rainbows for five years. She can’t wait to take part in the event.

“It is a great cause and I like doing extreme things, I will always do something that pushes my comfort zone. So the abseil ticks both boxes. I am really looking forward to it,” she said. Anne-Maria, who is the Director of Nursing for the NHS in Lincolnshire, has also been a nurse in Leicestershire working very closely with Rainbows.

She added: “What I am doing is nothing compared to the families at Rainbows and what they put themselves through every day. “People are very giving when it comes to a children’s hospice and I hope to raise around £500. Rainbows is a really, really good cause and I know people will be supportive of me.”

Daredevil Anne-Maria has previously completed a skydive and a bungee jump off the Victoria Falls Bridge in Zambia. The Rainbows Housekeepers – who have called their team The Red Ladies because they wear red Rainbows polo shirts, is made up of Julie Middleton, Hayley Jones, Lorna Talbot and Elizabeth Peet.

Julie has worked at Rainbows for 14 months. She said: “I have never done anything like this before and I am really excited, even though I don’t like heights! I wanted to do it as a personal challenge and also for Rainbows, which is an amazing place. Anything extra we can do to help is fantastic.” Hayley added that all of the housekeepers were looking forward to the challenge.

“I am a bit nervous but I am looking forward to it. It will be a great day and obviously great to be supporting Rainbows,” she added. People can abseil between 9am and 8pm.

Entry is £20. Children under 12 are not permitted to take part. To get involved, contact 0800 952 1133, email [email protected] or visit www.rainbows.co.uk/derbyabseil. There is also a Facebook event page where you can ask any questions and interact with participants: http://bit.ly/2bfp7hv