Wellington man, 86, to skydive from 15,000 feet for Alzheimer's Society
Wellington resident Brian Standring, who lives at Ivy House, the Abbeyfield-run independent living scheme on Corams Lane, will take part in his fourth skydive on Saturday, May 24, during Dementia Action Week.
Mr Standring, who is also an avid Nordic walker and participant in Taunton's weekly parkrun, describes the experience of jumping out of a plane as "magic."
He said: "It's breathtaking, quite outstanding to see the world from up there.
"It's great fun."
However, skydiving is not just about the thrill for him; it is an opportunity to raise money for a cause close to his heart.
Having cared for a friend and lost other friends to dementia, Mr Standring understands the impact the disease has on sufferers and their families.
His friend's diagnosis led him to become a Dementia Friend in 2014, a programme run by the Alzheimer's Society.
He said: "Ever since, I've been passionate about trying to do something, whatever it might be, to help people with dementia."
In addition to his efforts with the Alzheimer's Society, Mr Standring also helps out at his local church and organises fundraisers at Ivy House.
Through his upcoming skydive, he aims to raise £2,000 for the Alzheimer's Society.
If you would like to donate to his cause, visit his fundraising page at justgiving.com/page/brian-standring-11.
Alternatively, you can search for his name on the Just Giving homepage and click on the 'Why I am jumping out of a perfectly good aircraft at 15,000 ft?' heading.
On the funds raised, Mr Standring said: "It doesn't really matter to me what it's spent on in specific terms.
"As long as it ultimately helps someone with dementia, or their carer, or their family, that's why I do it."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kneecap's Mo Chara has Irish translator at second court hearing
KNEECAP'S Liam O hAnnaidh had an Irish language interpreter present at his second court appearance on Wednesday. O hAnnaidh, stage name Mo Chara, appeared before Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday for the second time, where he is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig in November last year. A judgment on his case – which essentially determines whether or not the charge against him will be thrown out – was reserved, with the next hearing set to take place on September 26. (Image: Jordan Pettitt) At his first hearing in June, O hAnnaidh - who speaks both English and Irish - had requested an Irish interpreter, but the judge said the court was unable to find a translator at that time. Under the rules, O hAnnaidh's request could have been denied as an interpreter is only normally provided in criminal cases where a defendant does not understand English. READ MORE: Miriam Margolyes donates £10,000 to Gaza and Edinburgh Fringe charities However, his request was granted for his second hearing on Wednesday, with Susan Folan acting as his interpreter. She said that she had provided O hAnnaidh with verbatim translation and "occasional clarification". O hAnnaidh also appears to have been processed on official computer systems under his real name. During his first appearance, his name was shown on online listings as the anglicised "O Hanna". However, the listing on Wednesday included a number of special characters, suggesting that the Irish language version of his name was entered into the computer system. (Image: CourtServe) O hAnnaidh was greeted by hundreds of fans as he arrived at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. He was joined by fellow bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, who sat at the back of the courtroom. READ MORE: Student Loans Company slammed over public contract with IDF-linked firm Supporters held signs which read 'Free Mo Chara' while others waved Palestine and Irish flags before the rapper's arrival at court. Chants of 'Free, free, Mo Chara' could also be heard over a megaphone, which was repeated by the crowd. (Image: Jordan Pettitt) (Image: Jordan Pettitt) During the three-hour hearing, O hAnnaidh's defence team argued the case should be thrown out, citing a technical error in the way the charge against him was brought. Brenda Campbell KC told the court the Attorney General had not given permission for the case to be brought against the defendant when police informed him he was to face a terror charge on May 21. She said consent was given the following day, but that meant the charge falls outside of the six-month time frame in which criminal charges against a defendant can be brought. READ MORE: 'Monstrosity': Ken Loach protests against Palestine Action terror label Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said permission was not required until the defendant's first court appearance and that permission did not need to be sought in order to bring a criminal charge. Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring adjourned the case until September 26, when he will rule on whether he has the jurisdiction to try the case. The Metropolitan Police had imposed conditions limiting where the demonstration outside the court could take place, saying they were needed to 'prevent serious disruption'. A man was detained by police outside the court building because of a placard he was holding following the hearing. Surrounded by officers, he told reporters his hand-made sign made no reference to any proscribed organisations, which includes the banned group Palestine Action. Following the hearing, O hAnnaidh told supporters the case was a 'distraction from the real story' and urged everyone to 'continue to speak about Palestine', adding: 'Free Palestine.'
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Oasis tease FOURTH live single as brothers wrap up UK and Ireland leg of reunion tour
Oasis have teased the possible release of a fourth live single performed on their reunion tour on their Instagram as they wrap up the UK and Ireland leg of LIVE 25. The band took to their Instagram page this morning (August 20) to share a clip of them performing the classic 'Wonderwall' to a sold-out crowd at what appears to be Dublin's Croke Park stadium. With Liam on the mic and Noel strumming his acoustic, the clip also panned around to show the packed crowd singing along to every word. READ MORE: Oasis Dublin performance hailed as 'noisiest in Irish history' READ MORE: Major travel warning issued for Manchester city centre ahead of Pride weekend The brothers played two dates in the Irish capital on August 16 and 17, which will be their last European performance for a while as they travel to North America, starting in Toronto, Canada, on August 24. Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE Amid the Oasis mania that has gripped much of the country since the start of July, the band have released live versions of some of their biggest songs from key dates in tour schedule. So far they have released live versions of 'Slide Away' from the opening night at Cardiff and 'Cigarettes & Alcohol' from their first homecoming show at Heaton Park. A further live track, their rendition of 'Little By Little' performed at Wembley Stadium on August 2, was released on August 14. Now, their latest Instagram post has led fans to speculate that a fourth live single could be in the works - with others hoping for a full live album. "Announce the live album packed with bonus content," wrote one fan-page under the post. "Liam genuinely sounds better now than he ever has," wrote another. The highly anticipated Oasis reunion tour was announced last August, with fans being sent into a frenzy and many spending hours in virtual queues to buy tickets. Around ten million people tried to secure tickets for their run of UK and Ireland shows, as fans came up against inflated ticket prices due to dynamic pricing and other sales issues. So far the band have stuck to the same 23 songs each time they have played - opening with Hello and finishing their encore with Champagne Supernova. The band will return to the UK for two more London shows at the end of September before heading to Asia, Australia and then Argentina before wrapping up the tour in Sao Paulo in November.
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Why hundreds of bears will be hidden at beauty spot
A community group is hosting a teddy hunt with hundreds of donated teddies. The annual teddy hunt, organised by SEND Community Connected, will take place at Coate Water Country Park on Friday, August 22, at 10am. More than 700 teddies, most of which have been donated by the Swindon community, will be hidden around the park. The teddies are kept by the children who find them. Some businesses have also donated golden ticket prizes, which can be exchanged for special items. The event, now in its third year, will also feature craft items for sale by KR Designs. Read more: Before and after: See how much Fleming Way has changed in £33m revamp The hunt is expected to last for about an hour. The event is free, and families are encouraged to bring their children to participate in the fun. SEND Community Connected is a group of families who support each other through social media and by organising inclusive events. Founder Jenny Watts said the group is "extremely grateful" to the Swindon community for its generosity. The group uses its Facebook page to share updates and support families during tough times. The event will start near the café, and adults are reminded to keep a close eye on their children due to the open water in the park.
