Harriet and James Challen
Sponsored parachute jump for Brake in memory of Emily Challen
Fundraising for Brake, the road safety charity
Story
For those who know my family, will know this is a time we have been dreading for a while, a whole decade since the worst day of our lives. To honour our big sister Emily and to support the work of the road safety charity Brake, James and I have committed to take part in a sponsored parachute jump this summer, 3rd June 2023.
On 15th February 2013, our beloved Emily was tragically and heartbreakingly killed in a car accident, one we believe could and should have been prevented. Emily was a beautiful, kind and caring 17-year-old girl, with an undeniable presence, an infectious smile, and a great enthusiasm for life. Emily was so much more than just our big sister, she was our best friend, our role model, our fashion mentor, our inspiration and undoubtedly the leader of our pack. Although forced upon a lifetime of grief, we will forever be grateful for the years we had together as a trio.
In the horrific months and years that followed Emily’s death, my family found support from a number of charities, one of which was Brake. In addition to the emotional support they offered, we discovered the work Brake had been doing since 1995 fundraising and campaigning in order to reduce precious and preventable road deaths across the UK. The discovery of Brake led us to distressing statistics of road accident fatalities with a focus on young drivers.
- Globally, road traffic crashes are a leading cause of death among young people
- 1 in 5 drivers crash within a year of passing their test
- Young and novice drivers aged 17-24 make up only 7% of licence holders but are involved in a quarter of the injury collisions (and 24% of fatal collisions) on GB’s roads
- Newly qualified drivers with a car full of passengers of a similar age are four times more likely to be in a fatal crash, compared with when driving alone
Brake campaigns for change whilst supporting people affected by road death and serious injuries. One of these campaigns includes a graduated driving licence to help save young people lost on our roads. A graduated driving licence is a phased approach to driving which builds experience and competence to help minimise risk to young and novice drivers.
We would be eternally grateful for any donations. If you wish to learn more about the incredible work that Brake gets up to, please follow this link.
https://www.brake.org.uk/get-involved/take-action/mybrake/knowledge-centre/young-drivers