MEMBERS of the Oxford Young Professionals Society will swap pinstripes for parachutes when they take part in a 13,000 feet skydive.

Some 16 staff from professional firms across the city — including law firms Blake Lapthorn, Morgan Cole and Manches and accountants Critchleys and Mazars, along with Woodstock-based building company Ridge — will be taking to the skies over Hinton, near Banbury on October 1.

The skydive will help raise £5,000 to fund the creation of a play centre in the cancer treatment waiting room of the Churchill Hospital, Headington.

Kathy Hills, charities officer at OYPS, said: “I recently visited the hospital and the waiting room is white, clinical and full of rows of chairs — not a great experience for children who are going through a tough period in their life.

“The idea is to convert about a quarter of the space in the waiting room into three play areas. The hospital may become a centre for young cancer sufferers so this would be a huge boost for them.”

Anyone wanting to sponsor the team can do so through the website Just Giving. See www.justgiving.com/OYPS