Alabaré is thrilled to announce the success of our recent skydiving fundraiser, which raised an incredible £37,700 to support homeless veterans. This event, held to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings, saw 47 brave individuals take to the skies, with some even jumping from 15,000 feet – the highest skydive in the UK.
Three Inspiring Stories:
Macc Macnaughton and Keny Grant, two young women who had just completed their GCSEs, participated in the skydive as a way to celebrate their achievements. Macc took the plunge in honour of her father, who served in the RAF, adding a deeply personal touch to her experience.
At the age of 80, Mervyn Wheatley made the jump cheered on by his wife Penny, both long-time supporters of Alabaré and our Plymouth Homes for Veterans. Mervyn’s courage and commitment demonstrate that it’s never too late to make a difference. Mervyn said:
“I did it because I’ve been following Alabaré for some time now and saw this Eighty for 80 – D-Day Skydive for Alabaré. Being an ex-Royal Marine with 33 years under my belt, and having celebrated my 80th birthday in November, it felt like the perfect time to dive for a good cause. The dive itself was interesting. I didn’t like the freefall, but when the parachute opened, I really enjoyed the experience.”
A team of 10 teachers from Stonehenge School, a long-time supporter of Alabaré, also joined the skydive. Stonehenge School has supported our efforts for years, regularly participating in the BIG Sleep at Salisbury Cathedral to raise awareness for homelessness.
The funds raised through this event will go directly toward supporting Alabaré’s Homes for Veterans, which provides accommodation and support to veterans across England and Wales. These veterans, many of whom have struggled to adjust to civilian life, will receive housing, guidance, and the tools they need to rebuild their lives.
Rebecca Mullen, Fundraising Events & Development Manager at Alabaré, said:
“We are incredibly grateful to all our skydivers and supporters who made this event such a success. From young students celebrating their GCSEs to our 80-year-old veteran supporter, the courage shown was inspiring. Every penny raised will make a real difference in the lives of the veterans we support, helping to provide homes, care, and a brighter future.”
Here’s a list of all our Sky Divers:
Mr Boluwatife Ajagunna
Mr Jack Aldous
Mrs Melanie Beardsley
Hayley Blake
Mr Gary James Boakes
Mr Jamie Braddick
Mr Robin Burns
Mr James Collins
Mrs Carole Dean
Paige Dempster
Mrs Leean Donohue
Daisy Dwyer
Mr Benjamin Evans
Sarah Ferguson
Claire Foxley
Claire Garrett
Keny Grant
Mr Huw Griffiths
Deepak Gupta
Mr Leo Hanna
Alice Hatton
Bethany Jones
Mark Kidner
Mr Garry Luxton
Macc Macnaughton
Henry March
Maureen Mcaleer
William Mccausland
Alex Protheroe
Ellie Rackham
Mr Cameron Roach
Miss Victoria Sankey
Tim Scrace
Oluwatosin Shittu
Miss Charlotte Stamp
Mr Callum Stedman
Ray Stedman
Rashmi Thapa
Mrs Becky Thompson
Vicky Thorne
Julie Turley-Smith
Mr Mervyn Wheatley
Mrs Julie White
David Willis
Mr Steve Wood
Fran Woodcock
Mr Danny Young
Alabaré invites everyone to consider joining future skydiving events or other fundraising challenges. Is 2024 the year you do something fabulous while helping to end homelessness for our veterans? Sign up now for one of our upcoming events and be part of something life-changing!
