A TEAM from Airwave Europe will feel the air beneath their feet as they abseil 100m from the top of the Emirates Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth for Parkinson’s UK later this month.

The cause is a personal one for Ali Catlin who works in customer services at the Billingshurst-based company.

She said: “My dad has had Parkinson’s for the past 20 years and I have seen how the condition can take away quality of life and restrict what a person can do.

“There is no cure for Parkinson’s at present, just a concoction of pills and potions to ease the symptoms so charities like Parkinson’s UK need all the help possible to work towards a cure.

“I am completely terrified of abseiling the Spinnaker Tower as I am petrified of heights but I wanted to challenge myself and raise some money for a great cause.

“The whole team at Airwave has got behind this to support me which I really appreciate.”

Ali will be joined by five of her colleagues - Toby Hart, Morné De Jager, Tanya Lintott, Viv Medway and Christina Spencer. Airwave TV are the UK’s leading supplier, installer and integrator of digital television and audio visual equipment.

They have set themselves a fundraising target of £1,000.

To donate see www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Ali-Catlin

Paul Jackson-Clark, Director of Fundraising at Parkinson’s UK, said: “Thank you to the Airwave Team for signing up to abseil for us, I hope they really enjoy the day.

“As the UK’s Parkinson’s support and research charity we’re leading the way to find better treatments and ultimately a cure, but our work wouldn’t be possible without the determination of fundraisers like the Airwave team.”

Parkinson’s UK hosts a number of challenges, including abseils, throughout the year. For ways to get involved, see www.parkinsons.org.uk/fundraise

Every hour, someone in the UK is told they have Parkinson’s.

It affects 127,000 people in the UK.

Parkinson’s is a degenerative neurological condition, for which there currently is no cure. The main symptoms of the condition are tremor, slowness of movement and rigidity.

Symptoms vary from person to person, so people with Parkinson’s can benefit hugely from local groups which provide support and an opportunity to share experiences with others in a similar situation.