A GUISELEY woman is preparing to jump from a plane with her father for a cause close to their hearts.

Lauren Perry and her dad, David, are undertaking a tandem skydive on Saturday, April 6 to raise money for eating disorder charity Beat.

The 29 year old first developed anorexia in her teens and suffered a relapse in her mid-twenties, after moving from London to Yorkshire.

Struggling with concerns about work and self-esteem, she began to feel out of control.

Lauren became obsessed with food and minimising calorie intake, and was also skipping meals - and the anorexia worsened when she set off on a long trip to Asia with her fiancé.

She started to turn things around after seeking treatment and deciding to take a hard look at her options.

She said: “I remember the turning point one night writing down where I wanted to be in three years’ time anorexia-free, and where I would be if I didn’t fight it.

“This simple task hit home and seeing the things I wanted in life became so much more important than anorexia. There and then I was making a choice to recover; I was taking back my control.”

On her JustGiving page, at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/davidandloz-19, Lauren praises her ‘courageous’ dad and explains why she is doing the skydive.

She says: “I myself have struggled with an eating disorder, first back in my teens, and again in recent years.

“It is only now, as I approach my 30th birthday, that I am experiencing what a life of real recovery is like.

“Recovering from an eating disorder is the most difficult thing I have done and with treatment I am so glad to be where I am now.

“Along the way there were, and continue to be, great struggles and it is resources from places like Beat that have helped me on my worst days, and still continue to do so. They give me that little bit of extra courage to keep going.”

Her father, David, said: “I am very proud of the courage my daughter has shown to beat her eating disorder and would like to thank Beat for their support.

“The skydive provides me with an opportunity to raise awareness of this important matter as well as much needed funds for Beat.”

Lauren says she now finds joy in simple things like being able to say ‘yes’ when her toddler nephew offers to share his sweets.

She said: “My advice to those suffering is to keep fighting and don’t ever give up, even when it feels like there is no end in sight.

“One day it will seem possible and that day is a day that will mean so much you won’t ever forget it. It will be the day that spurs you on.”

Some 1.25 million people in the UK suffer from eating disorders and Beat will support more than 30,000 of them this year.

For more details visit www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk .