Barnes Coaches driver's weight-loss wing walk for late wife

Barry Telling, who met his wife Iris when they both lived in Malmesbury, completed a wing walk last Friday for two charities close to his, and his late wife’s hearts – Wiltshire Air Ambulance and Second Hope. 

But the 54-year-old, now based in Upper Minety, also had to undergo a massive transformation during lockdown to even be able to do the wing walk – going from 22.5 stone to just under 13.

Barry had known Iris for 30 years and after years of dancing around, they finally got together in 2010 and married in 2016 after she was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer.

Barry and Iris

She fought the illness for five years with Barry by her side, but died in February 2020. 

Barry was set to go back to work driving coaches but was furloughed in March, leaving him stuck at home, alone, to grieve. 

“During the furlough time I was trying to work out what I was going to do," he said.

“Then on the April 9 I was sat at home, I’d eaten a packet of biscuits, a packet of Jaffa Cakes, and I was starting my second packet. 

“I then just thought, ‘I can’t live like this, Iris wouldn’t want me to.’

So Barry started making a conscious effort to go on walks with his dog, Jade. 

“I wanted to get fit to look after my dog. I found the walks enjoyable, therapeutic emotionally and physically. Getting me out into nature, I just felt better all round. 

Barry came across the idea of a wing walk and discovered he needed to lose a certain amount of weight to be able to do it. 

“Then I saw (BBC presenter) Dan Walker do a wing walk and thought I could do that, but the problem was I needed to lose a lot of weight, but at least I had a goal then.”

Barry and dog Jade after his weight loss at the wing walk

“I went walking with the dog, cut out all the rubbish, eating sensible, changing my lifestyle.”

By the end of May, Barry had achieved his goal of losing 10 stone. 

When Barry approached his boss at Barnes Coaches about what he wanted to do, the Swindon company paid for the flight without hesitation, and on Friday all his efforts paid off when he took to the skies. 

He said: “It took a few seconds to realise what was happening, then when you’re up flying around you can choose to think you don’t like this or choose to accept it.

“I just believed Iris was laughing and smiling because it was all for her.”

Barry has raised £4,227.46 for the two worthy causes.

If you'd like to contribute towards Barry's fundraising efforts you can do so from his Virgin Money Giving page here.