A care worker and her stepdad, both from Birchington, will leap at 12000 ft from a plane to raise funds for charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably).
Jess Taylor and plasterer Paul ‘Charlie’ Megson are taking part in the skydive at Headcorn aerodrome in memory of Jess’s younger brother Benjamin.
Benjamin Taylor was just 22 when he died in February 2022. He’d been found at Herne Bay railway station suffering critical injuries. His death was not treated as suspicious.
The former King Ethelbert student trained as a plasterer at Broadstairs College and then went into an apprenticeship and work in the trade. His many customers and work mates remembered a polite and helpful man who would often carry out jobs free of charge simply because they needed doing.
Elder brother Cameron, 27, described Benjamin as “a cheeky young man, loving, kind and always up for a laugh.”
Since his death, Benjamin’s family have supported CALM and Jess and Charlie hope to raise £2000 for the cause through the skydive. The leap had been due to take place today {November 16} but weather conditions mean it has now been moved to December 1.
Jess’s employer HMT Care have paid her skydive costs and Jewson in Margate has paid the costs for Charlie, meaning all funds raised will go straight to CALM.
Jess, 31, said: “I’ve always wanted to do a sky dive, and Benjamin would have wanted me to do it. Mental Health is so important, with young men being those most affected. Thank you to everyone for the support so far.”
CALM aims to help people end their misery, not their lives. The charity provides life-saving services, information and advice to help anyone struggling with life to navigate the issues that can make us feel miserable.
Last year 5,656 suicides were registered in England, 74% of those deaths were males.
Cameron said: “When Benjamin passed away one thing we noticed was that mental health in men was in decline and men did not speak up. We thought ‘what could be a better way to encourage men to speak about mental health than sharing CALM’s message.’”
HMT Care Ltd Deputy Manager Rachel said: “HMT Care sponsored Jess because she is doing something meaningful to support a worthwhile and important cause.”
Chris King, from Jewson Margate, added: “My team and I at Jewson Margate are honoured to support this skydive in memory of Benjamin and in aid of the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).
“As a member of the local community, we’re committed to making a positive impact especially when it comes to supporting mental health and suicide prevention. By sponsoring this meaningful cause, we stand with all those affected by such profound loss and hope to raise awareness and encourage vital conversations.”
Jess will also scatter some of Benjamin’s ashes from 12,000ft when she and Charlie do the skydive.
Jess and Charlie have been provided with bespoke hoodies produced by Nigel England of Sign and Safety Co (N E Signs.)
Find CALM at: https://www.thecalmzone.net/
