How Courage, Community and Compassion Reach New Heights
There’s something exhilarating about the idea of soaring thousands of feet above the ground, the wind whipping past as you freefall into a world of endless possibility. For many, sky diving is the ultimate test of courage – a way to challenge oneself physically and mentally. Yet, when paired with charity sponsorship, it becomes much more than a personal adventure; it evolves into a force for good, bringing together communities, raising vital funds, and offering hope where it’s needed most.
And that is what Anna Farrell from Rochdale did! She took to the sky to raise money for her local Dementia Centre, The Willows Dementia Hub in Rochdale. Jumping from an aircraft at an altitude of 15,000 feet, with pledges from family, friends, and work colleagues who sponsor the feat. Anna funds raised over £2,500 directly to The Willows and those people living with Dementia.
Sky diving is not for the faint of heart. The idea of stepping into the unknown, trusting in your parachute, your instructor and your tandem partner is a powerful metaphor for the leap of faith The Willows do every day.
Anna said, “it was the silence before the jump, the stillness of the air, the anticipation and adrenaline of the jump mirrored with the excitement and anxiety of fundraising itself”.
Yet for Anna she had something else to worry about. She was scheduled to be on plane number three. The first plane took off and all was well on Saturday 21st June at 8am, then the second plane was due to take off but was cancelled and everyone had to wait an additional 30 minutes of wondering what had happened, then finally they called Anna’s name and she was off into the air, the delay had caused some to worry but not Anna, she took it in her stride
And Anna went on to say, “this is my destiny… all or nothing.“
Looking out of the plane at 15,000 feet up she saw the coastline of Blackpool and how high above Blackpool Tower she was and then she jumped and realised she wasn’t nervous at all in fact she was buzzing! If you’re considering doing a sky diving charity sponsorship or something less, shall we say less nerve racking, like a sponsored walk or a sponsored bake sale, start by choosing a cause close to your heart and if you find us there even better. Let us know and we will support you by sharing your story online, on social media and with all our friends and colleagues because remember every donation—no matter the size—brings joy to our service users here at the Willows Dementia Hub. Every penny raised goes direct to our service user’s care, day trips and activities.
