Padgate man to jump out of plane for children's charity

Ben Paget, 25, will jump out of a plane next month in the name of fundraising for a charity that supports children with cerebral palsy and their families.

The charity, Stick 'n' Step, is also the charitable partner of Sci-Tech Daresbury, where Ben works.

Ben visited the charity's centre in Runcorn and was astonished by the work there (Image: Ben Paget)

Speaking to the Warrington Guardian, Ben said that he had the pleasure of visiting the charity's centre, which is in Runcorn, and he was amazed by the work that is done there to support the children.

Ben said: "I saw this as an opportunity to push myself out of my comfort zone and achieve something truly special.

"It's not just about me, but also about helping the charity and making a difference and I knew that even if someone is too scared to take the plunge themselves, due to the fear factor, they would be likely to contribute to the cause by donating to the charity."

Although there are not many things that can be done to prepare for a challenge like this, Ben says that he feels psyched up for the big jump: "I already feel mentally prepared for it, but that’s right now.

"I'm using the excitement of the challenge and the adrenaline to spur me on, as well as knowing people have donated to the cause, which leaves me knowing people are counting on me."

The Padgate resident has set himself a fundraising target of £500, and has so far already raised more than £400 - he has until the skydive to complete the fundraising.

Ben's skydive is scheduled for Saturday, May 20 - when asked why he chose a skydive in particular, he said: "I've always had a passion for supporting charitable causes, when I knew I had to opportunity to do a skydive for Stick ‘n’ Step it was a no brainer.

"Skydiving is not something that many people would dare to do, and even though I don't have a fear of heights, I know I’ll be feeling the adrenaline rush and my nerves going crazy as my legs dangle out of the plane."

Ben is hoping to raise £500 for the cause (Image: Ben Paget)

Ben added: "The Stick ‘n’ Step team provide free and professional support to children with Cerebral Palsy and their families and they have helped hundreds of children with Cerebral Palsy achieve their full potential and improve their quality of life through conductive education, music therapy, family support & more.

"They rely fully on donations, so I knew that my fundraiser would make a huge difference and the donations would go a long way in helping the children affected by the condition and also their families."

Ben's skydive will take place on Saturday, May 20 - for more information, or to donate, visit his fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/padgeskydive