Derby’s new mayor will be helping local people this August when he jumps 15,000 feet out of a plane for charity.
The Mayor of the City of Derby, Cllr Jonathan Smale, admitted he was an “adrenaline junkie” in taking on the daring tandem skydive on August 21 in aid of his two chosen charities: the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre and Living Recovery Foundation.
The event is an unusual one for a Derby mayor to undertake as part of their civic role and Jonathan hopes to raise a significant sum for both good causes.
He said: “I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie! I’ve jumped from the Stratosphere in Las Vegas. I’ve always said I need to do a sky dive and I think the best way to do that is for charity – and me being mayor has given me the perfect opportunity.”
The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre has been providing free holidays at its base in Skegness since 1891. Children are nominated to go through their school if they would otherwise not get a holiday – whether for financial reasons or others, such as caring for relatives.
This year hundreds of children from Derby and Derbyshire are being provided with free holidays, with the help of dedicated volunteers. Many youngsters who go to the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre have never seen the sea before.
The mayor has chosen the holiday centre and Living Recovery Foundation as his chosen charities because they both provide huge benefits for people living locally in Derby.
He said: “I wanted money to be raised that will go to Derby residents. The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre is 135 years old which is quite an astounding achievement. They have supported children in my own ward of Spondon – that was specifically why I chose them.
“There are people that I know in Spondon who have experienced going on a holiday at the centre – and that hasn’t been forgotten. These are children who might have faced some challenging circumstances and they have had a brilliant experience at the centre.
“I know a few adults too who have been through the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre who have used that experience to be successful in life. That work is still being continued with young children today.
“I think some of the social clubs in Spondon have taken on raising charitable funds for the centre – they have given a lot of their time which is great.”
The mayor said he was keen to raise money for Living Recovery Foundation as that, too, was benefiting people in Derby who might have “fallen through the net”.
On the day of his big sky dive the mayor will be travelling to Langar Airfield wearing his official chains of office which will be removed as he prepares to ascend in the plane.
He will then take on the tandem skydive and on landing back down will don his mayoral chains once again.
The mayor has already nearly smashed his original £1,000 target with his challenge and is aiming to raise as much money as possible.
“If I could raise £2,000 and split the money between the two charities, that would be incredible,” he said.
Janine Holmes, CEO of the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre, said: “We are so delighted that The Mayor of the City of Derby has chosen to benefit our charity as well as Living Recovery Foundation. To volunteer to do a sky dive is an amazing gesture and I hope plenty of people get behind him and donate – everything you give will go towards putting smiles on the faces of children who come to enjoy a holiday with us.”
To donate to the skydive, see www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/cllrjsmale1
