Welcome To Coventry Airport

Polly Vacher to visit Coventry Airport

23rd July 2007

Press Release

19 July 2007

Coventry Airport to provide red carpet welcome for Polly Vacher

Polly Vacher MBE, who is currently flying around Great Britain to raise awareness of the charity Flying Scholarships for the Disabled, will be landing her Piper Cherokee Dakota aircraft at Coventry Airport on Wednesday 25th July, 2007 as part of the Wings Around Britain tour.

On her arrival at Coventry Airport, Polly will be met by Senior Executives from Coventry Airport as well as the Lord Mayor of Coventry, Councillor Dave Batten. The red carpet will be rolled out in recognition of Polly’s incredible achievements.

Polly who holds the record for the smallest aircraft to be flown solo round the world by a woman via Australia and the Pacific, is aiming to fly to all 206 airfields in Jeppesen’s manual of the British Isles between 21 May and 31 July. She intends to fly as many disabled passengers as she can to highlight Flying Scholarships for the Disabled. “Learning to fly transforms lives by giving confidence as nothing else can,” says Polly. “Scholars go on and succeed in very much more than simply flying.”

Polly will be accompanied on her flight into Coventry from Bruntingthorpe, by Victoria Barr. Victoria has muscular dystrophy but despite this she has been offered a flying scholarship in South Africa later this summer. “People like Victoria are exactly what these flights are all about,” said Polly. “The flying scholarship will be the experience of a lifetime for her.” Joining Polly on her onward flight to Northampton will be 12yr old Timmy Lang who has cerebral palsy and Timmy’s grandfather, Maurice Mann, an 84yr old RAF veteran.

Chris Orphanou, Coventry Airport’s Managing Director, said: “We are thrilled to be included as part of Polly’s tour. Wings Around Britain is raising awareness for an extremely worthwhile cause and I’m certain that the many disabled people who have flown with Polly over the past few weeks, will have had the time of their lives.”

Polly has raised more than four hundred thousand pounds so far, with the proceeds of her book, ‘Wings around the World’ going to secure another perpetual scholarship. In the book she describes her second solo flight around the world in 2004 where she became the first woman to fly solo over the North Pole in a single engine aircraft and the first person to fly solo around the world landing on all seven continents. Polly will be signing copies of her book whilst at the airport.

For information about Polly’s flight and to follow her progress, please visit the website at: www.worldwings.org.

- Ends -

Media Opportunity/Photocall: Photographers and journalist are invited to Anson House, Coventry Airport West for Polly’s arrival. Interested parties should arrive for 11:30 on Wednesday 25th July ready for Polly’s arrival at 1145, with photo id (passport or photo drivers licence) to enable airside passes to be issued. If possible, please advise Sue Lindsay of names in advance. Please arrive at the West Gate of the Airport on Baginton Road and report to security.

Media Enquiries Contact: Sue Lindsay +44 (0) 2476 308681

Email News Subscribe

Please fill in the form below to recieve news via your email.

Name:

Company Name:

Telephone Number:

Email Address: