Drop in to Old Sarum to support dementia with Alzheimer’s Support

Fancy jumping out of a plane? Then on 21 March your wish can become reality.

Alzheimer’s Support, a Wiltshire based charity has teamed up with GoSkydive to create a dedicated jump day at Old Sarum Airfield and is inviting thrill-seekers of all ages to take part.

A thrill with a real beneficial purpose.

Participants will experience 30 seconds of freefall at 125mph after which the parachute will open and amazing views across the Wiltshire landscape can be enjoyed as they descend. And as well as enjoying the experience of a lifetime, jumpers will also be supporting people living with dementia right here in Wiltshire.

Seventeen-year-old Dan Edmonds is doing the skydive to support his grandmother. Dan said: “I have always wanted to do a skydive and as it was my 16th birthday last year, it meant I finally could. Alzheimer’s Support is a brilliant charity and this will raise much-needed funds for them.” 

Also taking part are a team of six from apetito, the Wiltshire-based food provider, Jumper Juliet Littleworth said: “Alzheimer’s Support does an incredible job providing support to people living with dementia, so we decided to test our nerves and jump 10,000ft out of a plane for them!”

The spring jump follows on from the success of the charity’s Skydive for Dementia in September last year. Then, former nurse Nitty Nicolls, 71, was one of the jumpers. She said: “It was a great opportunity to prove anything is possible irrespective of age. Although I must have had a ‘mad as a box of frogs’ moment to agree to jump out of an aeroplane, it was for a good cause and a fantastic experience. We were so well cared for and impeccably instructed before the jump.”

Alzheimer’s Support has teamed up with GoSkydive, one of the UK’s leading skydive companies, for the event. GoSkydive specialises in first-time tandem skydives so divers will be in very experienced hands. It has Covid-secure safety measures in place and Alzheimer’s Support has a back-up jump date in May should there be any further Covid-related restrictions.

Alzheimer’s Support’s CEO Babs Harris said: “The past few months have been very challenging both for our clients and for the charity financially and we need the public’s support more than ever now.

“Our Skydive for Dementia is a great opportunity to help support our work in our local community and we look forward to seeing as many daredevils at Old Sarum as possible!”

To find our more and to sign up, click here to visit the page on the Alzheimers support website.