Charity staff take to the skies in 10,000 feet fundraiser.

7th September 2021

PRESS RELEASE: Charity staff take to the skies in 10,000 feet fundraiser

Huge congratulations to our staff Sylvie Izzard and Dionne Patton, who braved their fears in a tandem skydive yesterday to raise money for our charity, The Whiteley Homes Trust.

Clubhouse Manager, Sylvie Izzard and Chef, Dionne Patton work at Whiteley Village, which is managed by the Trust and is home to over 400 older people of limited means in Walton on Thames.

The dynamic duo blasted through their fundraising target of £1,500 – recently hitting over £4,000! The donations will fund the refurbishment of the village’s popular Clubhouse Garden and BBQ area, with new lighting and sheltered seating, as well as supporting other projects for the community at Whiteley Village.

Sylvie said: “Dionne and I have worked together at Whiteley for over ten years. The Village is our life and the Clubhouse is very important to us. We know how difficult things are for the Trust financially right now, and we wanted to give something back and help improve the facilities that villagers and visitors use.

“Everyone thought we were crazy doing a skydive, but Dionne and I recently hit 50 and thought it was time to do something different and a bit more daring. Nothing can quite prepare you for the jump though – I was terrified at first but once I was out it was absolutely amazing! I’m so glad we did it and for such a great cause.“

Trust Chief Executive, Rachel Hill said: “We couldn’t be prouder of our pair of high-flyers – Sylvie and Dionne have gone over and above for our charity in every sense of the words!

“We house and care for many older people in need on our estate at Whiteley Village and our services are now in more demand than ever. The Clubhouse and beer garden are popular social spots for residents and visitors. Many have really suffered due to prolonged isolation during the pandemic and so these facilities are helping encourage people to get out and meet up with others again.

“Like many charities Covid has hit us hard, and we’ve had to put certain refurbishment work and community projects on hold. So, we’re hugely grateful to Sylvie and Dionne for their brilliant fundraising and to everyone who has generously donated, it really will make a difference to many people’s wellbeing and quality of life.”

It’s not too late to support Sylvie and Dionne’s efforts and you can visit their online fundraising page at: The Whiteley Homes Trust: Sylvie & Dionne’s Skydive! (enthuse.com). If you’d like to find out more about the work of The Whiteley Homes Trust or know of an older person that might need our help, please visit our website at: http://www.thewhiteleyhomestrust.org.uk

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