Chef completes skydive to help Carron care home buy wheelchair-adapted minibus

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An intrepid chef has helped to whip up support so a care home can buy a wheelchair-adapted minibus for its residents.

Nikos Kokkoris took on a daring skydive above Fife Airport with the aim of generating enough money to enable Carrondale Care Home – where he works – to purchase the vehicle.

His fundraiser on Saturday, May 29 nudged the Carron-based facility towards the £17,000 required to pay for the bus, which will allow the home to take the elderly to a range of locations.

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Staff at the Carron service say the minibus will give them “freedom to assist residents in fulfilling their wishes by visiting places they would otherwise be unable to visit”.

Carrondale Care Home chef Nikos Kokkoris (left) completed a skydive over Fife Airport to help fund a wheelchair-adapted minibus for the facility. Contributed.Carrondale Care Home chef Nikos Kokkoris (left) completed a skydive over Fife Airport to help fund a wheelchair-adapted minibus for the facility. Contributed.
Carrondale Care Home chef Nikos Kokkoris (left) completed a skydive over Fife Airport to help fund a wheelchair-adapted minibus for the facility. Contributed.

A handful of lucky Carrondale residents – Jim Leckie, Alex Linton, Margaret Jack and Rhoda Swift – were taken to the Glenrothes airfield to watch Nikos as he leapt from a plane thousands of feet above ground.

The day out proved to be such a success that the service already has a list of potential skydivers willing to take on the challenge in September.

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Carrondale resident Ms Swift, who was once a member of the Royal Air Force, enjoyed the spectacle so much she revealed she wished she could have done a skydive of her own for her 80th birthday.

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Carrondale Care Home resident and ex-RAF servicewoman Rhonda Swift watched on with delight. Contributed.Carrondale Care Home resident and ex-RAF servicewoman Rhonda Swift watched on with delight. Contributed.
Carrondale Care Home resident and ex-RAF servicewoman Rhonda Swift watched on with delight. Contributed.

Although she was unable to due to personal circumstances, Carrondale confirmed it is “currently in the process of organising a helicopter experience for Rhoda at her request”.

Linda Stewart, Carrondale’s senior health and well-being coordinator, said: “Nikos Kokkoris agreed to take on the biggest challenge of his life to date in aid of our appeal and with thanks to Nikos we are nearing our target of £17,000.

“We would like to thank all of our sponsors, our supporters and everyone involved who made the event so special.”

Dougie Smith, who set up a fundraising page to support the minibus appeal, wrote: “It would change the lives of the residents if they could get out and about and the bus would put smiles on some beautiful old faces.”

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Carrondale Care Home is a 70-bed, purpose-built facility that cares for the elderly, those with dementia and younger adults with various life-limiting conditions.

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