On Saturday 18th May 2024 Mel and I will be completing a tandem skydive from 15,000ft, we will free fall for 1 minute reaching speeds of up to 125mph followed by a parachute ride of about 5 minutes.

The money we raise will be going to the Swan Youth Project, an amazing charity run youth project in Downham Market, supporting young people aged from 8 to 18 years of age. In 2022 they supported 400 young people. They offer: -

* Open Access 3 evenings a week, giving a safe space for young people to come and have fun, make new friends, and have new experiences. Around 120 young people attending these sessions each week.

* One to One Support to young people with mild and emerging mental health needs. Some of the issues they see are loneliness and isolation, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, school refusal, anxiety, and trauma. 33% more young people were supported in the first quarter of this year than the previous year.

* Family Support, in 2022 this targeted support was provided to 73 families. Support is not prescriptive and is tailor made to each individual family. This could be a listening ear, signposting, information on the teenage brain or a coffee and slice of cake at parents group.

* Hygiene Bank - all young people are given the opportunity to access our hygiene bank, getting free hygiene products. The use of this has increased by 74% on last year.

* Bike Project where young people can learn about bike safety and maintenance.

* Young carers support worker

* Workshops and assemblies in schools and at other local groups

* Love Downham community shop - selling re-loved clothes and subsidised food to the whole community. The shop also has a warm space where we can offer a listening ear, a warm drink, a chat with the Citizens Advice Bureau, Tech Skills for Life or West Norfolk Carers.

The Project receives no statutory funding and are totally reliant on grants and donations, these are more difficult to obtain in the current times so any donation you can make big or small will make a huge difference to the young people and their families supported by the Project.

This charity is really important to us and our local community, both having teenage children ourselves who have attended the Swan Youth Project made it the perfect choice for our fundraising.

If you made it this far a huge THANK YOU for reading our story! Please give generously as we are both afraid of heights and are petrified about doing this skydive!

Much Love

Mel and Sonja xx