AN 82-YEAR-old woman says she still has a “spice for life” after taking on an indoor skydive, raising hundreds for charity.
Doreen Watts took on the challenge on January 12 at iFly in Basingstoke, raising £267 for In Aimee’s Name with just five days notice.
“It was fantastic, absolutely fantastic,” Doreen said. “From the beginning to end it was absolutely amazing.
“I wish I was younger, if I was younger I would be in there every day I think.”
The lifelong resident of Hook took on the challenge with her ex-son-in-law Bob, as the tickets were given to him as a Christmas present in 2018. When the opportunity came up for Doreen, she jumped at it.
“I never say no, my mother always told me that. I was so determined because I’ve had such a bad year [in 2019]. Four months ago I wouldn’t go out the door.
“Everybody was proud of me and I was proud of myself.”
However, this isn’t the first stunt that Doreen, who described herself as “a bit of a daredevil”, has undertaken.
On the long list of previous accomplishments is a hot air balloon ride over the Hampshire countryside, a ride on a Chinook and Puma at RAF Odiham, getting her hands on the controls of a Cessna plane at Popham airfield and swimming with dolphins in Malta.
Asked what her secret is, the 82-year-old joked: “Keep taking my tablets! I haven’t got a secret, I suppose having a spice for life,” she explained.
And her plans don’t end here - she is already eyeing up her next challenge, a piggyback paraglide for her 90th birthday. This comes after she “chickened out” when the opportunity presented itself in Austria.
In Aimee’s Name is a charitable trust set up to help young people and youth organisations, after Aimee was tragically killed in a car crash at the age of 18.
Donna Clayton, Aimee's mum, said she was "thrilled" that Doreen undertook the challenge.
She added: "She’s such a well known member of our community here which also helps spread the word about our relatively newly formed charity."
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