Thrill-seeker takes the skydive plunge for St Catherine’s

The chairman of Leyland Trucks’ own charity ‘Helping Hand’ had the ‘time of his life’ when he completed a sponsored skydive for St Catherine’s Hospice.

When Neale Handley decided to do something to mark the Hospice’s 30th Anniversary, he wanted to do it in style.

The‘Helping Hand’ charity is a regular supporter of St Catherine’s and other local charities, so to mark St Catherine’s milestone of reaching 30, they auctioned off a place for a skydive jump at their annual charity dinner in March.

When the opportunity of jumping from a plane at 11,000 feet for the hospice came about, Neale refused to turn it down, and eventually won the bidding at £250.

“I had always wanted to do a sky dive – it was on my list of ‘things I must do’,” said Neale after taking the plunge and raising £1,317 for St Catherine’s.

“So when the opportunity came up to do it for charity, I grabbed it with both hands. Through Leyland Trucks, and our onsite charity, Helping Hand, we already had a long-standing connection with St Catherine’s, and knowing that it was a landmark year; I wanted to do something a bit different. This was the perfect choice.

“Once you’re committed to something like this, people are excited on your behalf so getting sponsorship seemed really straightforward.

“People were incredibly generous – everyone was so interested in the sky dive, and how I was feeling and what it was like. It goes without saying, any adrenaline related activity does get the pulse going and the skydive was no different.

“It was a fantastic experience. The people at the dive centre, Black Knights were very professional and I felt safe throughout the whole process. Leaving the plane 11,000ft in the air was incredible, and in the back of my mind, I was just thinking of all the people I was helping back at the Hospice by doing it.

“It was one of the best things I have done in my life and all for such a great cause.”

Many thanks go to Neale and to all those who sponsored him on behalf of St Catherine’s Hospice. If you, like Neale, want to do something different for us in our 30th Anniversary year, then places are still available for next week’s skydive. All you have to do is raise £395 in sponsorship. Email emma.jacovelli@stcatherines.co.uk or call her on 01772 629171 for more information.

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