An intrepid pair of care home colleagues have completed a 100-metre abseil to raise more than £1,000 towards a church rebuild appeal.
Ruth Wildman and Denise Marks, Home Manager and Companionship Team Leader respectively at Colten Care’s Avon Reach in Mudeford, Dorset, confronted their fear of heights to descend from the top viewing platform of Portsmouth’s iconic Spinnaker Tower.
Vocal support came from cheering Avon Reach residents who came along to watch them make their way down to the ground.
The abseil was in aid of the restoration appeal for All Saints Church in Mudeford which was extensively damaged in an electrical fire in 2022, prompting a community fundraising effort to reconstruct its devastated roof and interior.
Ruth and Denise, who also completed a skydive in support of the appeal last year, described what it was like on the abseil.
On arrival, they were taken to the tower’s viewing platform where they were fitted with full safety gear and securely harnessed by expert abseilers.
After a safety briefing, they were guided to the external hatch, where their harnesses were attached to dual safety lines ready for the descent.
“I was absolutely terrified,” said Denise. “But we did it. So proud of us both and the money we have raised for All Saints Church.”
Ruth said: “Really proud we did it, an experience never to be repeated.”
Michael Penn, one of three Avon Reach residents – along with Jenny Stevenson and Bruce Eynon – who travelled to give encouragement, said: “It was a truly amazing experience to watch both of them abseil from such a height. Rather them than me. From us all at the home, we couldn’t be prouder of them.”
As well as the residents’ party, three church representatives – John and Hetty Ward and Sue Rigdon – also went along.
Sue said: “It was terrifying enough simply watching Ruth and Denise abseil 100m down the Tower. Most of us will never know how they found the courage to step off. Everyone was relieved when they arrived safely on the ground despite sometimes being caught by the wind. The church family at All Saints are not only extremely grateful but also very humbled to know that Ruth and Denise did this for us to help raise funds for the refurbishing of our rebuilt church and community hall. A thank-you, however big, doesn’t feel enough!”
Ruth and Denise did their 10,000-ft skydive at the Old Sarum airfield near Salisbury last year, raising more than £2,000 through sponsorship.
As well as fundraising by team members and residents, Avon Reach has supported All Saints since the 2022 fire by providing space for church groups to meet and hosting a monthly service open to parishioners and residents alike.
