Retired nurse skydives in Netheravon for charity Independent Age

Thabani Sithole, a former paediatric nurse, has raised roughly £945 for Independent Age, a charity which supports and advises older people facing financial hardships, after receiving help from it in 2021.

The skydive took place at Netheravon Airfield, in Wiltshire, on Friday and Ms Sithole jumped from 13,500ft out of the plane.

Ms Sithole, 74, who lives with her daughter Khwezi Sithole, 43, in Lambeth, London, is no stranger to skydiving having done the activity in 2018, adding she “really enjoyed” the latest one.

Thabani Sithole thoroughly enjoyed skydiving for Independent Age. (Image: Independent Age/PA Wire)

She told the PA news agency: “It was a beautiful and sunny day and I had such a lovely instructor. We really enjoyed it, it was fun.

“You fall down first from the plane and when the parachute comes up, that’s when you think, ‘okay, what’s going on?’

“All I could see were the clouds, then you wave and you blow kisses.”

Her daughter jokingly asked her mum: “Why are you throwing yourself out of a plane?”

She added: “But she wanted to do it, and she’s planning another skydive as we speak.”

'We had so many problems'

Ms Sithole said she decided to skydive because she wanted to send a message to older people who are struggling with their finances “that even in old age, you don’t have to suffer alone”.

She experienced financial hardship after retiring as a paediatric nurse aged 70 due to her arthritis.

“Before I got the help from Independent Age it was a desperate, desperate time,” she said.

“We had so many problems – where to get food from, how to pay the bills, gas and electric going up and paying council tax too.

“The house was very cold – we wore extra clothes and covered ourselves in blankets.”

Thabani Sithole. (Image: Independent Age/PA Wire)

Ms Sithole said Independent Age helped her to access support she did not know she would be entitled to before.

“Independent Age show you how to get support, whether it’s housing, financial, or a career; they help you,” she said.

“They helped me claim Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance which was a big relief.

“They even helped me fill out the forms which was a huge help. Now I get an extra £800 a month and I feel like I’m finally in control again.”

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Joanna Elson CBE, chief executive of Independent Age, said: “On behalf of the whole charity I want to thank Thabani for this inspiring fundraising effort.

“Thabani’s story demonstrates the plight of so many older people in this country, and I’m so glad we were able to help her access the support she is entitled to.

“With 2.1 million older people already living in poverty and millions more facing financial hardship, our work has never been more important.

“Callers to the Independent Age helpline are missing out on average over £4,000 a year. This is a life-changing amount of money. Nobody in later life should be facing money worries alone or feel ashamed of asking for help.”