36 Skydivers raise more than £20,000 for Suffolk Mind

A group of brave thrill-seekers have raised thousands to support mental health in Suffolk through our sponsored skydive.

36 Skydivers took to the skies on September 30 at Beccles Airfield, raising more than £20,000 (when including Gift Aid).

Funds were raised through sponsorships garnered by participants of the challenge.

Julie Long, our Fundraising Manager, said: “We are once again delighted with the outcome of our annual skydive.

“It has been incredible to see the bravery and excitement in everyone who took part – taking themselves out of their comfort zone to raise money for such an important cause.

“The money raised will help Suffolk Mind continue on its mission to make Suffolk the best place in the world for talking about and taking care of mental health.”

In addition to falling at speeds of around 120mph, participants were able to enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding area as they floated safely to earth.

Among the skydivers was Wendy Sheppard (pictured above centre), Corporate Relationships Manager for Suffolk Mind, who said: “It was a truly exhilarating experience, and believe it or not, I’d do it again!

“£20,000 is a fantastic amount, and it will help us to continue supporting mental health across the county through Suffolk Mind’s services, as well as with our training programme – The Mental Health Toolkit.”

The Skydive was sponsored by Pitkin & Ruddock, a Lowestoft-based air conditioning and refrigeration specialist, who also sent a team of 22 to participate in the event.

Their Managing Director, Damian Nunn (pictured below), said after taking part: “It was absolutely brilliant! It went too quickly, but I’d definitely recommend it.” 

When speaking about the sponsorship, Damian added: “We wanted to do it for our people. We wanted to make sure our people knew they had someone to support them with their mental health.

“Everyone needs someone to talk to, and we’re delighted to support such an amazing charity.”

Julie added: “Thank you to everyone who took part in the skydive, as well as our generous event sponsor Pitkin & Ruddock Ltd – whose team of 20 raised an amazing £10,365!

“Thanks also to UK Parachuting for their help and support on the day.”

People interested in fundraising for Suffolk Mind can host their own event or challenge or take part in one of our upcoming fundraisers. Visit our events and challenges page for more details.

And, if you’d like to see more pictures from the Skydive, take a look at our Gallery.