Diocese of Chichester

Father Ben Eadon of the Parish of St Bartholomew’s Church in Brighton, and Father Mark Lyon of St Andrew’s Church Tarring, have signed up to take the parachute jump because they feel deeply connected with the work of Turning Tides.

The event takes place on Saturday 28th August in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside. Fr Ben nad Fr Mark will join other participants who will all be raising money to fund the charity’s vital services across West Sussex. It isn’t too late to be a fellow passenger alongside the ‘Parachuting Priests’.

Fundraising Manager, Lucy Knowles explains; “We are thrilled to have more than 20 individuals eager to throw themselves out of a plane on our behalf! Everyone is really keen to resume life after lockdowns and there is nothing quite so invigorating as a skydive! It’s heart-warming to see a range of supporters - from corporate groups such as Jacobs Steel and The Shore Group, frontline keyworkers, past clients, pensioners, and even two wonderful priests! Each of them is putting their fears behind them and raising vital funds for the increasing number of local people accessing our services.”

Father Ben recounts: “I have supported Turning Tides over many years, stemming from my time as a vicar of St Symphorian’s Church in Durrington. I was a Trustee for almost five years, and took part in the Winter SleepOut a few years ago. Prior to my move to St Bartholomew’s Church, the skydive was going to be my swan song as I moved away from Worthing and stepped down as trustee. Along with Father Mark who has always supported the charity too, it was a great way to keep the link alive between church and charity – we set up a joint fundraising page under the name ‘Parachuting Priests’!”

“Whilst working with the charity, I had an informal chaplaincy role at St Clare’s Community Hub, once a fortnight, where I would support frontline workers and volunteers to meet the needs of clients. It gave me real insight into how Turning Tides works – for me, what resonated the most was recognising the dignity of every individual. That’s what is so great about Turning Tides - no one gets put in a ‘box’, every single client is supported with their individual needs paramount.”

“We have already reached our initial target of £800 - we are so close to hitting £1,000 now which is great. I have a wonderful network of supporters who care deeply about the struggles people face in our community.”

Far be it from nervous, Father Ben cannot wait to take the leap “I am looking forward to it. Slightly worried about the moment the plane door opens, but I am hoping that once the parachute opens I will love it. It’s certainly going to be a first for me!”

“If anyone is thinking about signing up I really encourage them to go for it. We are all aware that during the pandemic, so many charities and frontline services have been massively hit and anything we can do to support charity fundraising is really crucial now.”

It isn’t too late to sign up, for just £50 - you can take the leap too and support the growing number of people who are finding themselves homeless as a result of the pandemic. The activity is safely run by the Netheravon Army Parachute Association, who will be on hand to offer support and expertise throughout the experience.

Sign up here: https://www.turning-tides.org.uk/event/august-skydive-2021/ or give Turning Tides a call on: 01903 680740.