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An island woman has talked herself into jumping out of a plane, raising cash for charity on the way.

 

Saranne Slater of Stornoway never realised a casual conversation would also set her on a journey to a healthier lifestyle.

 

Ms Slater has now volunteered for a sky dive to raise cash for research into heart disease.

 

A donation page for the challenge has been set up at  www.justgiving/Saranne-Slater

 

She explained how it all started: "Last December at the end of a team meeting some people started talking about I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here which had just started.

 

She joked she wouldn’t be able to cope with the beasties but would love to jump out of the helicopter at the start.

 

"My manager said why don’t I do a charity parachute jump and I flippantly said "yes, sure," not really meaning it."

 

Her boss later highlighted that as a point of action in the formal minutes of the meeting.

 

"Not one to back down from a challenge, I said that I would, but not a parachute jump if I’m going to jump out of a plane I want to experience the freefall," she added.

 

Her 10,000 feet sky dive is now booked for 1 August at Strathallan airfield, near Gleneagles.

 

Her father, Murdo Alex Slater, known as Ganga, died of a massive heart attack 15 years ago, so fund raising for the British Heart Foundation was the obvious choice to raise funds for.

 

Ms Slater said: "As I was very overweight and very unfit it seemed hypocritical to ask people to donate money to this charity without doing something to ensure my own heart was healthy."

 

Setting a target to lose four stone by end of July, she also aimed to get fitter and make her own heart healthy.

 

She exercises by a lot of walking and swimming, losing weight in the process.

 

Today, she easily completes 64 lengths - equivalent to one mile of the pool - three months ago she could barely achieve a fraction of that distance.

 

"Only three months ago, 10 lengths in a row was an achievement," she says.

 

Ms Slater added: "haven’t had any faddy diets, just healthy eating and lots of exercise.

 

"In 24 weeks I have lost 40 lbs. I now know that I won’t lose four stone by the jump date, that would have meant losing two pounds week on week and, as I have now learned, it doesn’t always go to plan.

 

"When I started exercising more, it interfered with my weight loss as I was then burning too many calories and not taking enough in, it’s hard to find the right balance. The lower target should be reached."

 

Every four weeks, she is photographed in the same clothes, the latest photo showing her weight loss.

 

She hopes continue on a healthier path and lose six stone in total by the end of the year.

 

 

 

Before & after: Saranne Slater lost weight in her bid to become fitter for a charity sky dive

Joke remark leads to jumping out of a plane challenge  

 

12 July 2015