Our campaign is now complete. 110 supporters helped us raise £26,581.00
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Rev Robert Raikes is a priest with a passion. A passion to make our woodland walk more accessible to older people less mobile than he is.
When Robert first came to live at the College some years ago there was just one resident who needed a wheelchair. Now we have 10 wheelchair-bound residents and that number may well increase in the future as the average age of our residents continues to grow.
There are so many benefits to be had to overall wellbeing by getting out into woodland, says Robert
Robert turned 90 years young a short while ago and intends to mark the start of his 91st year by raising urgently-needed funds that will help current and future residents of the College.
His plan is, in essence, quite simple. Robert is going to fling himself out of an aircraft flying at around 10,000 ft. Suitably equipped, trained and supported, of course. Fit and active, Robert has had himself checked out by his doctor and has already, with typical enthusiasm, visited the aerodrome to discuss requirements for this tandem jump.
Nonetheless, despite the equipment, training and support Robert will receive, you may well agree that this takes a huge amount of courage and determination. To my mind, jumping out of a fully-functioning aeroplane in flight when you really don’t have to is, at any age a huge deal. It is not something to be undertaken lightly.
You probably feel as I do that to decide to take on such a challenge for the first time at 90 years of age is, quite frankly, amazing. We can only express our admiration and show our support for such a brave effort.
It seems crazy to me, Robert continues, that we have this beautiful area of woodland in our grounds, yet increasing numbers of residents simply cannot access it.
Healthcare professionals and psychologists are becoming almost daily more aware of the impact that visiting woodland and being in closer proximity to nature have on our overall wellbeing.
Rev Robert is passionate about improving access to our woodland walk and raising as much as he can to help bring that about. He is also very keen, at 90 years of age, to smash the existing record of £15,000 raised through a sponsored event for the College some years ago by a mere 61-year old whippersnapper of a long-distance walker.
So can you please help Rev Robert with a donation that puts him on the path to achieving his aims of improved access for wheelchair users and other less-mobile people, and of demolishing the existing record?
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