Devoted daughter from Sheffield to fulfil promise to late dad by completing charity skydive for Macmillan

Seven years later, the brave 28-year-old is set to complete a skydive on June 7 at Skydive Hibaldstow as a tribute to her father and to help raise funds for Sheffield legend John Burkhill, the ‘man with the pram’.

“Before dad passed away he asked me to make him a promise. That I would raise as much money as I could, jump out of a plane and give all the money to Macmillan.” said Charlotte.

Stephen passed away three weeks after his diagnosis. He spent his birthday with loved ones at the paliative care unit. “Macmillan supported my father tremendously and gave him the up most respect by going above and beyond for him in his time spent in the palative care unit at the Northern General hospital in Sheffield," said Charlotte.

She added: “I would like to give all the money I raise towards my jump for John to help him reach his £1 million fundraising target for Macmillan. I know I'm going to be absolutely bricking it doing this skydive but after many years I'm ready to jump for my father and a very good charity that goes above and beyond.”

Macmillan Cancer Support is one of the UK’s largest charities. It provides financial support and healthcare advice to people affected by cancer.

John Burkhill, who is unmissable in his green wig and giant foam hand pushing his pram around Sheffield, has raised more than £900,000 for Macmillan after completing over 1,000 races in aid of the charity. Charlotte hopes to boost his total by £200 by completing her skydive, and she has already raised £75 via her GoFundMe page.

Charlotte is set to dive in Hilbaldstow later this year. She said: “I don’t think it’s sunk in just yet, I’m really nervous, but at the same time I’m really excited as well because I’ve never done anything like this before.”

She added: “My father was a hard working man. He left school to be a brick layer and never stopped what he did till the very end. He would be up at 5am every morning and worked hard to afford the nice lifestyle we had, with summer holidays every year and endless bbq and karaoke nights out. I'm forever grateful for the childhood he gave me and the memories I hold.”

Stephen was an avid boxing fan, who spent most of his early days competing and winning trophies. Charlotte said: “We would always watch boxing fights on TV and he would tell me everything that was going on and although I never got into the sport myself I've grown up to be a big fan of the sport.”

Charlotte told how her dad was a well-loved man who was a member of the local pub fishing clubs and enjoyed his Friday nights in the pub with his friends. Charlotte said: “Every year he would take us down to cleethorpes to the caravan where there was never a dull moment.”