An 80-year-old woman with close connections to the Rotherham area will undertake a biplane wing‑walk on 23 August to raise funds for Thornberry Animal Sanctuary in Aston.
Local fundraiser takes to the skies
Sheila Morris is due to stand on the upper wing of a vintage biplane, secured in a specialist harness, at Wickenby Airfield, Langworth, Lincoln. The flight is expected to be performed on a restored 1942 Boeing Stearman biplane, offering sweeping views across the Lincolnshire countryside.
She will not be going alone. Also taking part are her daughter, Lynsey Colebrook — who is community fundraising manager at Thornberry — retail manager Charlotte Ripley and former colleague Natalie Glossop‑Knowles. The four women hope their daredevil challenge will boost the sanctuary’s coffers.
“I thought it would be rather fun,”
The octogenarian, a retired teacher who spent 40 years in the classroom, said she was excited by the idea and determined not to pull out. She will turn 81 the day after the flight, having just qualified for the event’s upper age limit of 80.
Why the stunt matters locally
Thornberry Animal Sanctuary, based in Aston, provides care for animals across the Rotherham area and relies heavily on donations and fundraising activities. The participants have publicly stated a fundraising ambition of at least £3,000, money intended to support the sanctuary’s ongoing welfare work.
- Event: Wing‑walk on a vintage biplane
- Date: 23 August
- Location: Wickenby Airfield, Langworth, Lincoln
- Beneficiary: Thornberry Animal Sanctuary, Aston
| Participant | Role/Connection |
|---|---|
| Sheila Morris | Octogenarian participant, retired teacher |
| Lynsey Colebrook | Community fundraising manager at Thornberry |
| Charlotte Ripley | Retail manager |
| Natalie Glossop‑Knowles | Former colleague |
Those involved have encouraged donations in support of the sanctuary’s work. Family members are expected to attend the event to cheer the participants on; Sheila’s husband, Mike, who is retired, will be among them.
For local readers interested in supporting the sanctuary or following the fundraiser, Thornberry’s fundraising channels and the participants’ personal donation pages are the routes organisers have recommended. The organisers have highlighted the value of community fundraising in sustaining local animal welfare provision.
The flight underlines the range of grassroots fundraising efforts undertaken in and around Rotherham, and serves as an example of how local volunteers and their families combine personal challenges with charity work to support vulnerable animals in the borough.
