Monthly Archives: October 2026

If you’d told me a year ago that I’d be climbing onto the wing of an aeroplane and flying through the sky, I’d probably have laughed and told you there was absolutely no chance!

I’m not an adrenaline junkie, and I’ve never been someone who looks for big, scary challenges to take on. So, signing myself up to do a wingwalk was definitely stepping outside my comfort zone. But honestly? It turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life.

For me, it was about more than just the experience itself. I took on this challenge to raise money for Linc, a charity I work for and one that is incredibly close to my heart. When you feel so passionately about a cause, you want to do whatever you can to make a difference. Sometimes, that means pushing yourself to do something you’d never normally consider. And, in my case, that meant swapping my usual day-to-day of convincing our supporters to take on this challenge, for a rather unusual adventure in the sky!

Of course, that doesn’t mean I wasn’t nervous. In fact, I think it’s fair to say there were plenty of nerves along the way. After all, standing on the wing of a moving aeroplane isn’t exactly something you do every day.. One of the biggest things that helped me feel comfortable was the incredible support we received from all the instructors.

They were absolutely brilliant. From the moment we arrived, they helped us feel at ease, talked us through what to expect and made sure we felt supported throughout the experience. When you’re doing something completely unfamiliar, having people around you who know exactly what they’re doing and take the time to reassure you makes such a difference.

Here’s the thing: if you’re reading this and thinking, “That sounds amazing, but I could never do that because I’d be far too scared,” I honestly want you to think again. I completely understand those nerves because I’m not someone who naturally gravitates towards this sort of challenge either. But being nervous doesn’t mean you can’t do something. Sometimes, it just means you’re about to do something extraordinary.

The whole experience was incredible, from the anticipation beforehand to the moment it was all over and I could take it all in. It’s one of those things that’s difficult to put into words because you really do have to experience it for yourself. And knowing I was doing it for Linc Charity made it even more meaningful.

Without a doubt, it’s an experience I’ll remember for the rest of my life. It challenged me, pushed me out of my comfort zone, and gave me a huge sense of achievement. Most importantly, it reminded me that we shouldn’t always let fear make our decisions for us. So, if you’ve ever thought about taking on a wingwalk but dismissed the idea because you don’t think you’re brave enough, my advice is simple: go for it!

You don’t have to be an adrenaline junkie. You don’t have to be fearless. You just need to be willing to give it a go. Trust me, it really is an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience. And I’m so grateful I said yes!

I took on the wingwalk challenge to support the launch of Linc’s new counselling service, which provides free specialist counselling to local blood cancer patients and their families.

The service currently has no waiting list, and we want to keep it that way by ensuring we have the funding needed to support everyone who needs us.

I’m incredibly proud to have raised £1,000 for Linc. Every penny will help make a difference, with just £800 funding 12 weeks of specialist counselling for a patient or family member.

Thank you to everyone who supported me and helped make this possible.

Guest blogger

Ellie Watkins

Fundraising Manager, Linc Charity

Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Even saying that still feels strange, to be honest.

Before my diagnosis, MND was one of those things I’d heard of, but I didn’t truly understand what it meant to live with it. You see the fundraising campaigns, you hear the stories, and you know it’s serious. But until somebody sits you down, closes the door and tells you that you have it yourself, you don’t really appreciate the weight that comes with those three letters.

I’m still in the early stages of MND. I can still get out, enjoy myself and do things independently, and I’m incredibly grateful for that. But there’s always that thought in the back of your mind. You know things may become more difficult in the future, and suddenly things you used to take for granted feel a little more important. That was a big part of why I decided to do the wing walk now.

I wanted to do something that wasn’t just about me having MND. I wanted to take a dream of mine and turn it into something meaningful as well. Raising money for the MND Association felt like one way I could take back a bit of control. Although, when you’re standing there looking at an aeroplane and somebody tells you they’re about to strap you to the top of it, you do start questioning how sensible your ideas are!

There’s not really any way to describe a wing walk until you’ve done one. When the plane starts moving, it suddenly becomes very real. You’re strapped on top, completely exposed, the engine is roaring away beneath you and then the ground just starts disappearing.

It’s absolutely exhilarating.

Once we were properly up there, I remember looking around and thinking about why I was doing it. For that short period of time, MND wasn’t the thing controlling my situation. I’d chosen to be there. I’d chosen to do something completely ridiculous, fulfilling my lifelong dream, and I was doing it for an amazing reason.

That feeling meant a lot to me.

The support people gave me was unbelievable. Friends, family, and even people I didn’t know personally donated and shared what I was doing. In the end, we raised more than £1,600 for the MND Association. I’m incredibly proud of that.

Every fundraiser, every donation and every person who learns a little more about the disease helps. The money can support the work being done for people living with MND and their families, while also helping the wider fight against the disease. That matters enormously to me now.

And if doing something as mad as standing on top of a flying aeroplane means somebody donates towards helping people affected by MND, then it was worth every second.

I’ll always remember my wing walk. Not because I was scared, but because I fulfilled a life long dream during a difficult chapter, and grew it into something incredibly positive.

Guest blogger

Steven Kelly

Inspired? Sign up to wingwalk for MNDA