Dorset’s disability charity, Diverse Abilities, recently held a special 60th anniversary celebratory skydiving day with 28 people taking part and raising over £29,000. Those who took part skydived 10,000ft or 15,000ft to raise money for the charity that supports over 600 adults and children with disabilities in Dorset.
Dean Daniels, one of the charity’s fab fundraising jumpers and Diverse Abilities finance manager, raised a phenomenal £15,000 by organising various events and initiatives, which included dart competitions, some even with ‘Scotty Dog’ Mitchell – the BDO World Champion.
Dean said: “The people we support really inspired me to take on a challenge and I wanted to do something that would make a difference to them. Chatting to some of the guys we support made me realise that I take for granted some of the things I do so I wanted to put myself in a situation where I wasn’t in my comfort zone. The actual skydive itself was amazing, and I think my wife was more scared than I was jumping 15,000 feet, but nonetheless it was a nerve racking experience and something I am very proud to have achieved for a very worthy cause.”
Another one of our jumpers Tina Hicks, from Dorchester, decided to make the leap for her 70th birthday and raised over £800. She said: “Although it was the most terrifying thing I have ever done, it was amazing. In the end I opted to go to 15,000 feet and we fell through cloud which was incredible.”
Sophie Kennar, one of the charity’s trustee’s daughters and lives in Ringwood, also took part and said: “Being afraid of heights, jumping out of a plane is possibly one of the most terrifying things I could do. However, my father decided that I should ‘give it a go’ and put my name down. One the day I felt sick with fear and given half the chance I wouldn’t have done it but I didn’t want to let anyone down. Luckily for me, I had the most wonderful instructor who laughed and joked with me all the way through, when I screamed, he laughed! Once I was out of the plane the fear left me, free falling is one of the most amazing experiences. I keep being asked ‘would you do it again’, ummmm yes I would, but perhaps not for a while!”
If you are brave enough to set yourself the challenge of jumping out a plane, please get in touch with us. You can skydive any day of the year, or take part in one of the charity’s next skydiving days.
Please contact Sharon Wells via sharon.wells@diverseabilities.org.uk, or alternatively via telephone on 01202 718266 to sign up or receive more information.
