John Patterson (79) is a familiar and much-loved face around Wishaw, particularly in Girdwoods Bar. Anyone who knows John will tell you that he is an incredible man — a devoted friend, a loving father, and a genuinely kind and generous soul. John is also a military veteran who served for 17 years across Northern Ireland, Singapore, Belize, and Germany, and we are incredibly grateful for his service.

Sadly, five years ago John lost the love of his life, Janice Patterson, to breast cancer. This was an extremely difficult time for John, and not a day goes by that he doesn’t miss her. During the final three months of Janice’s life, she was cared for by the wonderful team at St Andrew’s Hospice. The compassion, dignity, and support they provided to both Janice and John during such a heartbreaking time is the reason we are raising money for this incredible charity — so they can continue their exceptional work for other families facing similar circumstances.

Myself, Elle (22), and John met around five years ago, just as Janice was becoming unwell. I had just started working in John’s regular pub, Girdwoods Bar, and despite our very large age gap and completely different stages of life , we quickly formed a close bond. Over the years, that friendship has only grown stronger, and we are now very much like family. We regularly spend time together going out for lunch, shopping trips, and the occasional wee bevy.

This is what led to us taking on this jump. I always encourage JP to live life to the fullest through all of our little adventures, and I knew he would love the chance to do “one last jump” — something he spent his younger years doing as part of the Paras. We wanted this to be a truly unforgettable way to celebrate his 80th birthday . As we both try to support various charitable causes whenever we can, choosing St Andrew’s Hospice — a charity so close to our hearts — was the only way to make this challenge truly meaningful.

More information about St Andrews Hospice (Trading) Ltd: St Andrew's Hospice aims to enable children, young people and adults who have a progressive life-limiting illness to live life to their full potential, within a supportive environment, whilst extending help and advice to their families and friends.