For the High Jump!

09 May 2023

On 22 April a team of brave people challenged themselves to abseil off the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth to raise money for SSAFA. They are raising funds for the Colchester Garrison SSAFA Serving Community Team their courage helped raise over £1,700.

Michele Turner-Everett, the Serving Community Team Chair for Colchester, invited Mandy Small and Richard Beever to join the challenge.  Mandy is the mental health ambassador at Colchester Garrison and also SSAFA’s South East Regional Fundraising Officer and Richard is a Royal Navy veteran.

Michele said: “This challenge was showing that anybody can do anything – just like our soldiers do. We were doing this to show serving soldiers that we will push ourselves to the limit on their behalf. Some of the lads on camp can’t believe it when I tell them what we did!”

Mandy, an RAF veteran, and her son Jamie were bereaved when Jamie was only eight years old, after his father, who was in the Army, took his own life.

Mandy said: “I hung over that edge and didn’t think I could do it. Then I looked up at Jamie, who was cheering me on, and knew I had to just go for it. It was terrifying and I won’t do it again, but I’m glad I did it.”

All three climbed over the edge of the tower and braved the 370 foot drop to safety.

Michele said: “Afterwards we celebrated at the Ship Anson pub in Portsmouth, where the Landlord, in the spur of the moment, donated over £100 from a raffle they happened to be running that day. We are so grateful!”