Thrill-seeking hackney cab driver Roy Grantham, from Grimsby, in Lincolnshire, took to the skies last month to raise money for St Andrew’s Hospice. In memory of his friend, Sarah and after the tragic loss of his young niece, Charlotte, he decided it was time to give something back to the people who had helped his loved ones in their time of need.
Big Thank You
40-year-old Roy has so far raised an amazing £2,000 for the hospice and hopes he can raise a lot more over the coming weeks. He will then present the hospice with a cheque as his way of saying “thanks”.
“The level of care and dignity that patients get there is incredible.”
Roy’s best friend, Sarah, sadly died in January this year after a short battle with breast cancer. The mum-of-two spent her last few weeks in St Andrew’s Hospice where Roy said she was given the best care possible.
Roy commented: “The level of care and dignity that patients get there is incredible. Sarah had all the photos of her family around her and they made her last couple of weeks very comfortable.
“She was my friend for more than 25 years; we used to do everything together. She was the nicest person you could ever meet and she was always there for me.”
Just a few months later, Roy suffered another blow when his 10-year-old niece, Charlotte, fell ill around Easter time. She was treated at the Sheffield Children’s Hospital for an infection on her brain and appeared to make a full recovery. Sadly, Charlotte passed away after quickly deteriorating again once home.
Emotional Tribute
Whilst on the wing of the plane and travelling at 150mph, Roy made a tribute to SClub7 fan, Charlotte. He said: “I also did a dance in memory of Charlotte, who loved SClub7, which included my own version of Reach for the Stars!
Roy continues: “It was emotional but a good way to remember them both.”
Understandably, Roy said the toughest part of the challenge was climbing onto the wing of the plane once it had reached 700ft but the welcome that he got from friends and family waiting for him back on land made it all worthwhile. He commented: “It was a brilliant day. The best bit was at the end when I was being taxied back and could see everyone applauding.
“It was amazing and I felt really good that I was able to it for such a good cause.”
Cab Direct is proud to be a supporter of Roy’s brilliant fundraising efforts. If you’d like to get on board click Wing Walk here.