An author has donated £1,000 from the sales of his first aviation book to a children’s hospice.
Jim Longworth, from Yew Tree Avenue, in Grimsargh, near Preston, made the gift from the proceeds of ‘Triplane to Typhoon’ to Derian House Children’s Hospice.
Released in 2005, ‘Triplane to Typhoon’ details the history of the aircraft industry in Lancashire and the North West, from 1910 to the present day.
Jim and his wife Kath visited the hospice in Astley Village, Chorley, to present a cheque to Roya Khadem, fundraising administration coordinator at the charity, which provides care to parents and their families before and after the death of a child.
Jim said: “Triplane to Typhoon was published some years ago now by Lancashire County Council and stocks have almost sold out.
“We said when it came out that one day we would like to make a donation from the sales.
“We’ve done quite a bit through family connections with St Catherine’s Hospice in the past. We have supported them for a number of years and we thought it would be nice to do something for the children’s hospice this time.
“It has an excellent reputation and it costs so much each year to run it, so we are very glad to be able to help.”
Jim was formerly the head of Lancashire County Council’s Industrial Development and Promotion Unit.
Now retired, he is also the author of books on the history of the cotton industry, and last year released his latest book, ‘Test Flying in Lancashire’, the first of a series of three volumes dealing with the story of test flying at Warton and Samlesbury Aerodromes.
The follow-up to ‘Triplane to Typhoon’, covers the history of test pilot escapades from the First World War up until the jet aircraft of the 1960s.
Jim works at BAE Systems’ Heritage Department at Warton and the book was published by the defence giant.
It was released to mark 65 years of testing aircraft in the area and proceeds from its sales will go to BAE Systems’ supported local charities.
The book is priced £9.99.
Comments