Britain’s oldest skydiver completes jump on her 102nd birthday

Manette Baillie, a 102-year-old woman from Suffolk, celebrated her milestone birthday by completing the ultimate adrenaline rush: a skydive.

 This daring feat was not only a personal achievement but also a fundraising endeavour for three charities close to her heart: the East Anglian Air Ambulance, Motor Neurone Disease Association, and Benhall Village Hall.

Mrs Baillie has already raised an impressive £9,000 of her £30,000 fundraising goal and hopes to make her target as more people become aware of her incredible feat. Reflecting on her daring dive, Ms. Baillie shared, “When the door opened, I thought, there’s nothing left to do but jump. It was a blur, and I closed my eyes.”

The local community rallied behind Ms. Baillie, cheering her on as she descended from the sky. Her courageous act has inspired many and contributed to her fundraising efforts for her three cherished causes.

Thrill-Seeker Takes on Yet Another Challenge

This isn’t the first time adrenaline junkie Ms Baillie has taken on such a hair-raising challenge. She also marked her 100th birthday by driving a Ferrari racing car at speeds of up to 130 mph at Silverstone race course.  

“I play an active part in the community and people often ask me what is the secret of old age. Of course, it is luck but I would say keep both physically and mentally active and socialise!” Ms Baillie said.

How Ms Baillie’s Dive Unfolded

A group of around 40 family, friends, and neighbours from her home of 50 years, Benhall, gathered to watch the spectacle of the new record-breaker’s skydive. As the distant blue dot of Ms Baillie’s parachute came closer and closer, the crowd erupted into cheers and shouts.

Admiration for her feat as well as her fearless character flowed from her nearest and dearest: “She’s a complete rock, fearless, she does not dwell on complaining or tragedies,” said close friend Humphrey Hawksley.

Even the experienced jumping team couldn’t help but feel moved by her courage. “I got quite tearful up there, it’s amazing what she’s doing,” said veteran parachute jumper cameraman Nick Herridge.

Accompanying admiration was also relief that the skydive went ahead. Threatened with cancellation due to strong winds, the decision was taken to move the jump forward. Manette said before the jump: “There’s nothing to be nervous about. You’ve just got to keep going. You’ve just got to do it”.

Manette did finally admit to slight butterflies when her feet were firmly back on land, saying: “When the door opened, my stomach did go.”

With the excitement and nerves of the jump out of the way, Manette headed to the Benhall Ex-Servicemen’s Club – one of the charities Manette is raising money for- for some well-deserved tea, cake, and big band tunes.