Co-op Funeral service colleagues prepare to reach for the skies - all in a great cause

Sky divers Rebecca Shipley and Vanessa Calverley

On September 1, colleagues from Co-op Funeralcare in Oldham will be stepping out of their comfort zone and participating in the charitable Black Knights Skydive to raise funds for mental health charity, MIND. 

Funeral Director Rebecca Shipley and Funeral Service Manager Vanessa Calverley have bravely taken on the task of doing the skydive, hoping to raise a total of £500.

Their goal is to raise awareness of the importance of looking after one’s mental health and inspire others to support the charity through donations and other charitable initiatives.  

The coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on local communities, especially on people’s mental health.

A recent survey by Mind found that two thirds of people with mental health problems said that their mental health had gotten worse since the first national lockdown. 

Rebecca said: “We all know the past 18 months have been very challenging, with community events sadly getting cancelled.

"Vanessa and I have always wanted to do something that would really push us out of our comfort zone, while also contributing to a fantastic cause.

"What better way to raise awareness and collect donations for our charity partner than by facing our fears head-on?

“We hope our initiative to overcome our phobia of heights for the benefit of such an amazing charity will inspire others to show their support for Mind.

"Every donation, however great or small, really does help make sure they can continue to offer support to all those who need it.” 

The charity partnership aims to raise substantial funds by engaging Co-op colleagues, members and customers in a range of national and local fundraising.

The amount raised will enable Co-op’s charity partners (Mind, Scottish Association for Mental Health and Inspire) to deliver innovative new services in communities across the UK to ensure people receive the mental health support they need. 

To show your support, please donate here

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