The 2019 Rockinghorse iDrop team at the British Airways i360 (courtesy of Ben Harvey Photography).
18 daring members of the public took part in a 450ft drop from the British Airways i360 last month, all in the name of charity.
Raising money for Rockinghorse, the dare-devil participants each took on the challenge in support of our campaign for young people with mental health illnesses.
The iDrop event marked the longest day of the year and celebrated the summer solstice. Participants were lowered from the open pod doors above Brighton seafront during the sunset on Friday 21 June.
Participants are harnessed and briefed ahead of the drop (courtesy of Ben Harvey Photography).
Thousands of pounds raised
Collectively, our participants have raised an incredible £11,000 with money still being donated following the high-up hair-raising challenge.
Rockinghorse has partnered with Chalkhill Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit in Haywards Heath. The unit is Sussex’s only mental health inpatient unit for children and young people.
We are raising funds for the Rockinghorse Activities Programme. It is an initiative that was developed in 2015 to support young people cared for at Chalkhill.
Funds raised from the 2019 iDrop challenge will be donated towards the activities programme throughout the remainder of this year, and into next year.
Rockinghorse iDrop participant Stephanie Prior (courtesy of Ben Harvey Photography).
An exciting and exhilarating challenge
Hannah Seltzer, Challenge Events Fundraiser at Rockinghorse, is delighted with how much has been raised. She said, “What a fantastic effort from our iDrop participants, I am so proud of what they have achieved.
“Not only did they take on the dizzy heights of the challenge, but they have gone above and beyond to raise funds for our project at Chalkhill. Their sponsorship will make such a big difference to young people receiving treatment there.”
Participant Kerry Leppard raised the most amount of money in sponsorship for Rockinghorse and was the first person to take on the iDrop. She said, “The challenge was fun, exciting and exhilarating. The only scary moment was letting go to get out of the pod at 450 foot high!
“I enjoyed the ride down on what was a beautiful evening in my beloved city of Brighton. It was made more special by my team of supporters who saw me off and cheered as I did my best Bridget Jones impression, before they welcomed me back onto solid ground.”
Spiderman prepares to make the drop (courtesy of Ben Harvey Photography).
Supporting young people with mental health conditions
The Rockinghorse Activities Programme has proven vital in the recovery journey of children and young people with mental health conditions. Complementing the clinical work of the unit, alongside its education programme, the activities help young patients in so many different ways.
It’s an initiative set up to provide young people with leisure activities on and off site. The programme also provides an opportunity for youngsters to try new things and take some much-needed time away from the unit. To find out more about the project and how you can help support it, please click here.
Our thanks to each and every one of our iDrop participants for their wonderful support – we couldn’t do it without you! You can still make a donation via the JustGiving iDrop campaign page, by clicking here.
