In a thrilling bid to raise money, Sarah Smith, a dedicated school cook from Radley Primary School, is preparing to take part in her first parachute jump.

She is taking on the challenge to aid the Friends of Radley Primary School (FoRPS) charity.

FoRPS, a fundraising committee made up of parents and carers, have set a fundraising target of £22,000 to resurface the school playground.

Ms Smith's daring adventure is expected to contribute £2,000 to this cause.

With over 15 years of service at the primary school, Ms Smith is no stranger to the school and is passionate about her role as a cook there.

She said: "I've worked at Radley Primary School as cook for the past 15 years.

"I turn 50 in May and as a present my parents bought me a parachute jump which I'd had on my bucket list.

"I decided if I'm going to jump out of a perfectly good aeroplane, then why not do it for a good cause and raise some money?

"With that in mind, I decided that the school would be just perfect.

"The staff and children mean everything to me, and it is a fantastic place to work. I'm hoping to raise as much money as I can to help them achieve their goals."

Oxford Mail: The school are all behind Sarah Smith

The parachute jump is scheduled, weather permitting, to take place at Hinton Airfield on the 26th of May, which is the day of Ms Smith’s 50th birthday.

Not one to let the moment pass, Ms Smith intends to film the jump and share the footage with the schoolchildren to bolster their excitement.

Claire Thomas, Radley Primary School's Headteacher, said: "Sarah, our wonderful school cook, and playleader at breakfast and after school club is taking on a parachute jump to raise money for our school.

"She is doing this to celebrate a 'special' birthday and we couldn't be more proud of her!"

Jessica Dhiman, Chair of FoRPS said: " It is amazing that Sarah, who has been part of the school for so long, is taking on the challenge of a skydive and raising money for the school at the same time - a double achievement.

"We are very grateful to the school and local community for all support provided to help us reach our goal."

You can access Sarah’s fundraising progress on her online page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/sarahsparachutejump, where potential sponsors can pledge their support.