A CAVERSHAM woman has jumped out of a plane to celebrate her birthday, and to support young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Heather Hexter set herself a challenge to do something different.
Strapped to a GoSkydive instructor, she took the plunge, dropping from an aircraft above Old Sarum Airfield, Salisbury.
“It was a big birthday, and I didn’t know what to do to celebrate,” she explained.
“Then suddenly, I woke up one morning, and knew I had to do something outside my comfort zone, and I wanted it to be something memorable.
“And I realised it could also be a great way of raising money for something I’m passionate about, young people’s mental health.”
Heather is a member of St Andrew’s Church, Sonning, and saw that its youth work, St Andrews Church Youth (STAY) is supporting teenagers, discussing with them the pressures they face, and helping them to become more resilient.
“I know that lots of young people are struggling with their mental health at the moment, whether as a result of the pandemic, or due to the constant pressures of social media,” Heather said.
“They face a constant bombardment of questions online, asking them whether they are beautiful enough or smart enough.
“Bullying is a big issue too.
Children can be cruel when they are able to comment online anonymously, and it can lead to self-harm and anxiety.
“It really has to stop.”
Heather’s own 19 year old daughter has shared with her mum some of the issues her friends have faced.
“There aren’t enough support networks for families that are struggling, continued Heather.
“The NHS is overloaded, and people are facing long waits for help to find coping mechanisms.
“Young people’s mental health affects whole families.”
A lawyer, Heather has come across people in her workplace, too, whose teenagers are struggling.
“We have Fireside Chats at work, and lots of people are going through really difficult periods,” she said.
“Mad Millennials came to deliver a talk, and gave parents lots of advice about where to find support for their teens.”
Impressed by the charity, Heather decided to dedicate her skydive to raising money for both STAY and Mad Millenials.
“There are so many difficult things going on in the world at the moment, but we can all do something, however small, to make things a bit better,” she said.
“I love the story of the old man picking up stranded starfish one by one from the beach and throwing them back into the sea.
“Passers by say, ‘there are too many to help, you’ll never make a difference’, but he calmly replies, ‘well, I just helped this one, and this one, and this one…’
“The skydive did push me way outside my comfort zone, and I was thrilled to achieve the first part of my goal to do something different.
“But the second part of my challenge is to raise funds for charity.
“I’ve asked friends and family to donate to one or both of the two organisations I’ve chosen.”
Funds raised will help to support a new female youth worker at St Andrew’s Church, helping her to flourish in her role and to continue the group’s community outreach.
Mad Millenials is a volunteer run organisation dedicated to supporting young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Through one-to-one sessions, peer support groups, events, and digital content, the charity raises awareness, fosters conversations, and provides support for teens and their families.
Heather’s two fundraising pages will remain open until the end of November.
Anyone wishing to support her skydive for charity can contribute to the work of STAY by visiting: www.justgiving.com and searching for Heather Hexter, and Mad Millenials by visiting: www.gofund.me and searching for Skydive for Mad Millennials.
For information about the church, log onto: www.sonningparish.org.uk , or for more about the charity, visit: www.madmillennials.org.uk
