Jan's weight plunges . . . and so will she!

Jan, a Methodist minister from Thorpe Hesley, is less than half the woman she was after shrinking from 24 stones to 11st 6lbs after weight loss surgery.

Now the 51-year-old is preparing for a sponsored tandem jump from 10,000 feet next month in aid of the church stonework appeal. 

And, even more remarkably, she will be taking on the challenge despite having a fear of heights.

Jan said: “I’m doing it because primarily it’s something I can now do—I’m now light enough to be able to.

“It’s a personal challenge, something my previous weight would have prevented me from doing.

“And the height of the jump also fits in with the church tower which I will be raising money for as part of the church stonework appeal.

“So it’s a personal challenge and a challenge for the church to reach its target.”

Jan, a priest for 22 years and one of the first women to be ordained, struggled with a weight problem for many years.

But after a gastric bypass, she lost a staggering 12st 8lbs.

Now she feels she has a new lease of life and has even spoken to a group of people considering the same operation.

More than £1,500 has already been pledged for Jan’s special day and she is hoping to reach her target of £3,000. 

The jump will be a big challenge because as a child her fear of heights meant she once had to have the big dipper stopped so she could get off. 

But she reckons her adrenaline levels will be sky high on the day and she will soon be brought safely back down to earth. 

 If you would like to sponsor the parachute jump, contact Jan on [email protected].

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