A Soaring Success: Lucy’s Wing Walk for South East Dog Rescue 
Yesterday, I took to the skies in a thrilling wing walk to raise money for South East Dog Rescue (SEDR). Thanks to the incredible generosity of friends, family, colleagues, and supporters, I not only reached our fundraising goal of £500 but managed to hit this by Saturday evening—a massive boost before the big day!
You all did a great job of kicking my nerves into gear with all your questions and concerns over the flight. But you did even better at sending your well wishes, words of supports and donations to make this wing walk a success. Thank you, thank you, thank you, I really can’t thank you enough!
Following the grey skies and topsy-turvy weather last week, I was surprised to wake up to a beautifully sunny morning with clear skies and ideal flying conditions. Living in Romney Marsh, I could already hear the hum of overhead planes from nearby Lydd Airport, making the jitters even more real. Whether it was the excitement or the nerves, I chose to skip breakfast to avoid any mid-flight ‘reappearances’, and on arriving at Headcorn Aerodrome I was warmly greeted by the team at The Wing Walk Company.
After a detailed safety briefing, the real test was the anticipatory wait. But luckily, I was far from alone. Friends, family friends, and fellow Three R’s members, along with a few four-legged companions, turned out in full support. The stream of good-luck hugs and well wishes made the wait more bearable and provided a great distraction from the nerves. Initially, the Wing Walk team explained the order of the day, something to do with weight distribution and fuel levels (honestly, I was too focused on the safety briefing of getting up/off the wings to remember) but before I knew it the pilots Ollie and Richard had both classic Boeing Stearman aircraft prepped for action.
My pilot, Richard, soon enough had me goggled up and guided through the gates onto the airfield. “One hand on the leather of the cockpit… left foot onto the walk way of the wing… step onto the seat… two hands on the rig… climb through, mind your head on the cables… step up…”. And there I was on the wings of the bi-plane! Ready and raring to go, I was given a second safety briefing by Luke from the Wing Walk Company. He did a fantastic job of just talking me through what to expect, gave me my bearings in case I should spot any landmarks from up high and just before I set off joked about me joining the frequent flyers programme if I became an addict.
Then came the moment we’d all been waiting for. Wind whipping past, arms outstretched like wings, the plane soared into the sky and I’m very proud to say I took off with a huge grin and a wave to all the supporters. I woop’d, I yelled, I woohoo’d but my voice was lost to the roaring of the engine. If I was breathless already from the takeoff, the air from my lungs was snatched away again as I looked down upon the breathtaking blanket of patchwork fields below. The blue-greens-greys of a river swirling it’s way through the countryside. The cows and sheep dotting the fields and the tops of great Oak trees that fluttered under our wings.
Swooping through the sky and waving to everyone below, the thrill of the experience was truly unforgettable. But even more fantastic is the success of our fundraiser. As I mentioned to others yesterday:
“I’m very proud to have exceeded the £500 fundraising target and want to thank everyone who has donated and shared! I’m also deeply grateful to Three R’s for their support, not only for the Wing Walk but also for choosing to champion South East Dog Rescue as our non-profit this year.
For those of us blessed with a pet to love, we sometimes forget that not all dogs are so lucky. Some face homelessness due to their owner’s circumstances, while others endure far harsher realities of neglect and abuse. It’s not an easy subject to think about, nor is it easy to work with.
That’s why we’re so proud to support South East Dog Rescue. Entirely volunteer-led, it takes an enormous amount of time, labor, and financial resources to keep the rescue going. And the emotional toll on those involved is immense. It’s organisations like SEDR that shine a light on these harsh realities, which are easy to ignore if you’re not directly impacted.”
Yesterday wasn’t just a personal triumph but a powerful reminder of the importance of supportng causes like SEDR. My ‘bravery’ if you wish to call it that isn’t comparable to the tireless dedication of SEDR’s volunteers on the ground.
Thank you once again to everyone who supported this event. You can still show your continued support by donating or sharing my fundraising page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/lucys-wing-walk-for-south-east-dog-rescue
The page will be open for another month in the hopes to continue raising more funds. If you want to learn more about SEDR and their incredible work, please visit sedogrescue.co.uk.
For anybody interested in their own fundraiser wing walk I highly recommend www.thewingwalkcompany.com whose team were fantastic in providing this experience.
– Lucy, Three R’s