A STOGUMBER couple are to make a charity skydive in July in place of a close friend who died before she could do it herself.

Sam Hodder and Danni Garratt will make their sponsored leap from a helicopter to raise funds for and awareness of the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

The 15,000 feet plunge will be in memory of Abi Munro, who died last December, aged 23 years.

Sam said: “Abi had plans to do the dive herself this year as the charity helped her close relatives previously, but sadly she did not get to fulfil this goal.”

Danni said: “She had wanted to take on a skydive herself to raise money for the air ambulance, as they had been there for her own family in their hour of need.

“Since Abi did not get a chance to take on the challenge and raise the funds for the air ambulance herself, Sam and I vowed we would do it for her, and in her memory.

“As well as doing this for Abi, the air ambulance is a charity that we hold close to our own hearts, as I am sure most of us do, and so we could not think of a better cause.

“So, we are asking our friends, family, colleagues, all who knew and loved Abi, and all who also hold this charity close to their own hearts, to dig as deep as you can to support our fund-raising efforts.

“From the loose change in your pockets, to £1, £5, £10 or more, every single penny counts and would really mean the world to us.”

To date, the pair have raised more than £250 toward a target of £1,500 which they have set for themselves.

The skydive on July 6 will involve a minute of free-fall before the couple’s parachutes are deployed

Anybody who wants to support Sam and Danni’s fund-raising can find their appeal here.

The air ambulance does not receive any direct funding from the Government and relies on the generosity of the public to meet its £5 million-plus operational costs, which each mission costing about £3,000.