The countdown has begun to Scottish swimming sensation Hannah Miley's HUET challenge...
On Saturday 1st September triple Olympian Hannah Miley, along with 11 volunteers, will take to the water at the Survivex training centre in Dyce, Aberdeen in aid of local charity 'Sands'.
Special participants include;
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Hannah Miley |
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Alastair Miley |
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Joseph Miley |
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Lauren Mitchell (Sands) |
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Tracey Aitken (Sands) |
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Shaunee Jamieson (NHS Grampian Midwife) |
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Scott Whyte (Watermans) |
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Rhona Shephard (Red Sky Management) |
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Roly Reid (Red Sky Management) |
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Steve Swindell (Xodus Group) |
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Ellie Faulkner (Olympic Swimmer) |
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Ben Kilner (Olympic Snowboarder) |
The Challenge
Participants will undertake Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET), with a special solo run where Miley herself will take on the additional challenge of escaping the HUET with the environmental effects theater switched on. Our state-of-the-art simulator will replicate real life weather/sea conditions with wind, waves and even sound effects!
This should prove particularly challenging for Miley who has confessed she is not as comfortable in the water as you may expect;
"I hugely admire all helicopter pilots especially those who fly out to the oilrigs every day in all weather conditions. In their honour I would like to put myself through this training and to challenge myself to experience it first hand. Ironically I have a huge fear of small spaces and water, the sensation of feeling trapped and not being able to breathe will be a huge challenge for me to overcome."
- Hannah Miley
Event Details
The day will commence at 10AM and end at around 2PM. There will be light refreshments served and a chance to mingle with industry peers and other special guests.*
Everyone is welcome to attend the event however numbers are limited, so to be included on the guest list for the day please Contact Us.
Or if you would like to make a donation visit: Hannah Miley's JustGiving Page.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Sands History
In the mid-1970’s two women – Hazelanne Lewis, a psychiatric social worker, and Bel Mooney, a journalist – both gave birth to stillborn babies. At that time, most parents were not allowed to see or hold their babies, no pictures were taken and they were not told where their babies were buried.
Using her professional standing to break the silence around baby loss, Bel wrote a story for The Guardian describing her own experience, while Hazelanne wrote to national newspapers asking bereaved parents to share their stories. The avalanche of replies from all over the UK revealed the vast, unrecognised need for support and advice for bereaved parents and their families upon the death of their baby.
These two women sparked the discussion of the many difficulties in overcoming prejudice against openly acknowledging the death of a baby and the pain of bereavement. As a result, the National Stillbirth Study Group was set up in 1977, comprising of various health professionals and representatives from other bereavement support groups, who produced an information booklet for bereaved parents. It was this impetus that would form Sands.
About Sands
Sands is the leading stillbirth and neonatal death charity in the UK. They work nationally to reduce baby deaths through promoting better maternity care and funding research. They have a programme of training and a wide range of resources designed to support professionals to improve the bereavement care they provide following the death of a baby, and they provide a comprehensive bereavement support service both nationally through their helpline and locally through around 100 regional support groups based across the UK.
Further information can be found at www.sands.org.uk.
*Please note that this is a media event and if you choose to attend your likeness may be captured and used for marketing purposes.
