Holding On Letting Go is a charity that offers support to children, young people and their families when they are grieving.

What this charity means to me:

During my childhood I had a very close bond with both of my parents. They home educated me so I spent every day with them, learning from them and making memories.

My mum and I were brought especially close by our shared hobbies and interests. We were in a choir together, which meant we spent many long car rides practicing singing and not knowing any of the words. We also used to go on walks in nature together, and enjoyed finding new places to explore.

She was an amazing mum who taught me so many things, including how to be proud of myself always, and to always be kind. Sadly, during 2020 when I was 16, my mum got cancer and she was taken from us too soon.

Throughout grieving my mum, my dad, my sister and I were brought even closer as we helped each other through our grief and learnt how to be more open with each other. Countless days we spent shut in with grief, but where we could have struggled individually, my dad, my sister and I would lay together, hug, cry together, laugh together, and provide each other with the support we depended on so greatly. We would talk about memories of mum, and dad would tell us stories from their time together. It was a horrible, difficult time, but we also became so much closer through opening up to each other. Our dad was our rock, he protected us and held us up, showing us to always stand up for ourselves and our rights. Unfortunately, just over a year after our mum's passing, we also lost our dad.

I am blessed to have an amazing sister, a beautiful family and plenty of close friends that have provided me with an abundance of support over the last 5 years. These people showed me what true charity is, by helping me and my sister get on our feet as adults, and by being there to offer advice and support that my parents otherwise would have given me. This includes a shoulder to cry on and the love and support needed by any young adult, as well as practical support such as lifts, teaching me how to cook, how to drive and so much more. So many people in our life showed up for me and my sister and went far beyond what was expected of them, and proceed to do so to this day.

While in our lives we have been able to rely on family and friends for support, unfortunately not everyone has this option. Holding On Letting Go is a charity that helps children, young people and their families throughout the process of losing a loved one, by providing support through grief, and showing them that they are not alone and that there are always people out there who will try their hardest to support you. This is why I want to raise money for this charity, to give back some of the love and support that I have received, and ensure that no young people or families have to go through grief alone.

What led me to choose something such as jumping out of a plane?

Doing completely crazy things sort of runs in my family..

Growing up I admired and looked up to my Great Uncle Albert, who was spectacular and always helping people, known for doing crazy things such as abseiling off a building, and making the most of life. He also inspired me to fundraise. As a kid I always wanted to skydive or do something similar because of how much I wanted to be like my great uncle, but then I got really terrified of the idea of it and didn’t think about it for years. One morning just after Christmas 2024 I woke up and immediately knew I wanted and needed to do this, I can’t explain it but the fear of it had completely gone and there wasn’t even a question to it. I was skydiving!

So here I am, taking the leap (literally) on June 22nd! ✈️

It would mean the world to me if you are able to and want to, to support me in this by donating to Holding On Letting Go, supporting more children and families like myself in their journeys through losing a loved one.