Jo’s Jump

Charity Co-founder Jo Middlemiss aims to raise £10,000 jumping out of an aeroplane at 10,000ft!

Jo will reach up to 120mph during the 30-second freefall in the skies over Fife before an instructor deploys the parachute at around 5,000 feet. On the ground to cheer her on will be her husband, children, and grandchildren. Jo said: “I have done some wild things in my time, but I must admit as the big day approaches, a little fear is starting to creep in!

“We knew we had to take the fundraising to new heights this year. Life has been extraordinarily hard in Ethiopia, with communities facing civil war, the pandemic, famine and the cost-of-living doubling in the last year. So, I shall feel the fear and do it anyway!”

Each year EMP commits to raising a minimum of £50,000 to pay for medical staff and medical supplies through charity events and donations from hundreds of people in Kinross and beyond as well as organisations such as the Rotary Club, St Paul’s Church and the Common Grounds Charity Cafe in Milnathort. The charity’s management is done on a shoestring where apart from items like postage and printed leaflets, all money goes directly to the clinic and both founders pay all their own expenses when travelling to Africa.

Since Jo and her cousin Maureen Burnett founded EMP, the clinic has expanded to become the Buccama Health Centre with two wards, a laboratory and 25 members of staff, including five qualified nurses. After being unable to travel to Ethiopia for the past two years because of the pandemic, Jo and Maureen are returning in October to live and work at the clinic for a month.

Jo’s daring skydive will take place on 10 September at St Andrews Skydive at Glenrothes airport. To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/josjump