Two brave care home colleagues overcame their fear of heights with a 10,000ft skydive that raised more than £2,000 for a vital church restoration fund.
Ruth Wildman and Denise Marks, home manager and support team leader respectively at Colten Care's Avon Reach in Mudeford, Dorset, took to the skies to support a repair and reconstruction project at nearby Mudeford All Saints Church.
It was severely damaged in an electrical fire in the summer of 2022, prompting extensive community fundraising efforts to repair the destroyed roof and interior.
Ruth and Denise made their skydive at Old Sarum airfield near Salisbury and invited residents of Avon Reach to watch them from the ground.
Bruce Eynon, who took the minibus ride, said:
“They were very brave and I enjoyed watching them rise and fall.”
Describing the moment they jumped out of the plane into the 30 second free fall before their parachutes deployed, Ruth said: “We were really scared as we sat in the plane. When that moment came, there was no time to think about it as it was a tandem jump with an experienced instructor. It's difficult to put into words the feeling of flying, but it was truly amazing and exhilarating. We They both said we would do it again. We are grateful to Bruce for his kind words. I think he was relieved from the bottom of his heart when he saw us coming ashore.”
Thanks to the support of friends, families, colleagues and the wider Avon Reach community, Ruth and Denise raised a total of £2,064.
Ruth said: “I really didn't think we would raise so much money. We sincerely thank everyone who has supported us.”
As well as Ruth and Denise's skydive, Avon has supported Reach All Saints since the fire through initiatives such as providing space for church groups to meet. The home hosts a monthly service open to both parishioners and residents and has collaborated with the church on a fundraising quiz.
Ruth added: “Some parishioners come to our coffee mornings and other events we hold. We welcome all parishioners at any time and want to continue to build a strong relationship with them. We want to continue to be part of the church community as the rebuilding progresses.”
