Proof that you are never too old! Ray and Arthur set to skydive in support of CHSW!
Intrepid duo, aged 90 and 86, take on skydive for local charities!
Ray Hales, aged 90 and his friend Arthur Bennett, aged 86 from Barnstaple are braving an incredible skydive to raise funds for Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) and North Devon Hospice.
They will both be jumping from Dunkeswell Airfield, near Honiton on 20 May 2018 and Ray said: ‘I jumped on behalf of CHSW when I was 85, and vowed, if I was still fit when I was 90, then I would do it again. I’m really delighted that my good friend of over 30 years, Arthur will be joining me this time in raising money for both hospices- although at only 86 he’s a mere boy in comparison to me!’
Arthur and Ray are jumping to raise money for their local hospices CHSW and North Devon Hospice, and funds raised will be split equally between the two. Ray and Arthur are long term supporters of both hospices and Josh Allan, community fundraiser at the CHSW’s Little Bridge House hospice in Fremington said: ‘We are all absolutely in awe of Ray and Arthur. Skydiving is no mean feat at any age, and we take our hats off to them not only for their fearlessness, but also for their generosity and commitment to local charities. Ray, through his work at Barnstaple Lions and involvement with local CHSW Friend’s Groups, is one of our most valued supporters and we cannot thank him enough for taking on this incredible challenge for us.’
Although both RAF veterans, this will be Arthur’s first skydive and he said: ‘I’m more nervous than excited and it’s not the jumping out that bothers me, I just hope that I land!’ Claire Sherwood, community fundraiser at North Devon Hospice said: ‘Ray and Arthur are such characters; we know that they will have so much fun on this skydive. They are taking it all in their stride and showing us all that age is just a number. They are determined to do this to raise funds for their local hospices and are a great example of what can be achieved when you put your mind to it. What an inspiration they are to all North Devon Hospice supporters out there.
The duo will take to the skies on May 20 and, as Ray and Arthur met when working for Western Power Distribution (formally SWEB) over 30 years ago, the duo are hoping the company will support them in their fundraising. If you would also like to support this incredible pair in their fundraising efforts, you can find more details online at Virgin Money Giving, simply search for Ray Hales Tandem Skydive, or Arthur Bennett.
And if you’ve been inspired to jump for in support of the hospices as well, you can contact Josh on 01271 325270, Claire on 01271 347204, or see www.chsw.org.uk/skydive or https://www.northdevonhospice.org.uk/support-us/challenges/sky-diving/ for more details.