Dare-devil Mother and Daughter Take on Extreme Challenge

Jumping off a mountain 1,172 metres above sea level might seem a bit extreme to most people, but a mother and daughter, from Hull, are determined to say ‘thank you’ to Help for Heroes for making such a difference to their family. 

Anne Duncan, aged 59, who lives in Sutton-on-Hull, and her 28-year-old daughter, Sophie Ombler, will take on the daunting challenge of paragliding at Les Gets resort, in the Mont Blanc mountain range, in France, as a way of paying something back for the support received by their husband and stepdad, Peter Duncan. 

Peter was a highly respected medic in the navy, serving for 41 years. He saw action in the Falklands and Afghanistan, and received an MBE, in 2017, in recognition of his service. Unfortunately, stress and trauma from his experiences led to a catastrophic stroke in 2022, and, consequently, Peter is now severely disabled – and his wife became his carer overnight. 

Anne explained: “It’s my 60th birthday this year and I wanted to take on a challenge. When I told Peter what I was planning, he said to just go for it. I’ve never done anything like this before, but, as a family, we want to do something to show our appreciation for the Charity. 

“We are so overwhelmingly grateful for the support given us. Peter needs 24-hour care, and the team have been there for us. They’ve helped us to get physiotherapy and speech therapy in place; they’ve helped with wheelchairs and other specialist equipment; and they’ve provided Peter with mental health support to help him deal with trauma and PTSD.  

“We’ve also been able to take advantage of respite care on offer, which has given me the chance to re-charge my batteries.” 

Anne added: "We’re both determined to do this for Peter and to support the wonderful team at the Charity, who seem like part of our extended family, and who reached out to us when we were most in need.” 

If you would like to support Anne and Sophie, visit Anne's fundraiser for Help for Heroes.