Daredevil, Brian Pate, from Hassocks, is about to celebrate his 80th birthday by completing a tandem sky dive on Thursday 4 May, in aid of The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home (QAHH) in Worthing.
Brian is no stranger to sky diving, being President of Surrey and Sussex Parachute Regiment Association. He explains, “I took part in a tandem jump for QAHH two years ago. When I decided to celebrate my 80th birthday with another jump, I wanted to support QAHH again as it is a very worthy cause; and if I’m lucky, I intend to celebrate my 90th in a similar manner!”
QAHH is a hospital home which cares for physically disabled ex-Servicemen and women, and members of their family.
“I have a long connection with The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home and their veterans; at the age of 17 I boxed in a show that was put on for the residents!” explains Brian.
QAHH Fundraising Officer, Samantha Stokes, said: “We are so grateful to Brian for taking on this sky dive for us – he is so brave! All of us here at QAHH want to wish him the best of luck for his jump, and also a very happy 80th birthday!”
You can show Brian your support and encouragement by sponsoring him on his Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/BrianPate80-SponsoredSkydive or by calling QAHH on 01903 218444.
NOTES TO EDITOR:
For high resolution/unedited images, please contact Stewart Gillespie on 01903 218444 or email: stewart-gillespie@qahh.org.uk
About The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home
The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home was established in 1919 – the charity celebrates its 98th anniversary this year (2017).
The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home is a registered charity, providing care and rehabilitation for physically disabled ex-Servicemen and women. Our residents’ needs are complex and many have multiple disabilities; some have neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s, Acquired Brain Injury or Motor Neurone Disease, others are paralysed or do not have use of their limbs, some are terminally ill. We support on average 140 residents a year.
We take up to 60 residents at any one time.
The average age of residents is 64 with the eldest resident being 98 and the youngest 31.
Our residents represent the tri-services: Royal Navy, Army and RAF.
Services at QAHH include nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, an active social and recreation department, rehabilitation kitchen, a chaplaincy service, counselling, IT facilities, a rehabilitation garden, sensory room, coffee shop and function room and regular outings on our specially adapted coach.
With no regular government funding The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home must raise over £1.3 million each year to maintain its nursing and rehabilitation services for ex-Servicemen and women.
