Booby Birds campaign

Coutts’ flagship office was the setting for a breast cancer charity fundraising dinner last month.

The Breakthrough Booby Birds campaign was the brainchild of Tina Korup, whose best friend died of breast cancer.  Unable to ‘mend her friend’, Tina came up with an idea to gather a group of highly successful women to do a parachute jump.  Each ‘Booby Bird’ has the challenge of raising £20,000 by dive day.

Debbie Manners, CEO of Hat Trick Productions, is one of the brave women who will skydive from 12,000 feet high.  She was joined by 12 guests and bankers from Coutts, and enjoyed a first class meal to raise funds towards her challenge. 

Debbie said: “I haven’t spoken widely about being a Breakthrough Booby Bird yet as I’m still planning my fundraising events, but to those I have mentioned the campaign to they have been incredibly supportive.

“My children are really excited about my involvement, although my seven year old doesn’t seem so keen on me jumping out of a plane.  To be honest I’m trying not to think about the jump at the minute.  For me the challenge is raising the £20,000 and once I am there I will be able to relax and look forward to the jump.”
Coutts private banker Sasha Speed added: "Debbie approached me to tell me that she had committed to raise £20,000 on behalf of Breakthrough Breast Cancer and I immediately wanted to help this worthwhile cause.

“With the support of my managing partner, Harry Keogh, who has himself recently been appointed to the Appeals Board for Breakthrough, we offered supper to Debbie and a group of her friends, whom she felt, would be thrilled to come along and in return contribute to her fundraising efforts". 

The dinner raised over £2,855 towards the campaign, with a £750 donation from the Coutts Charitable Trust.

For more information, see www.breakthrough.org.uk