A Cardiff councillor has hit new heights with a tandem skydive, in memory of his grandfather.
Councillor Ashley Lister represents the Grangetown area of Cardiff. In February 2018, he took the plunge from 12,000 feet above Swansea Airport.
He pledged to take on the challenge at a fundraising dinner last October, to raise funds in memory of his grandfather, Chris Lomax.
Mr Lomax had Type 1 diabetes and had held the Grangetown seat for four years until he passed away in 2016. So far, his grandson's adrenaline-fuelled efforts have raised £2500.
"I wanted to do something amazing"
Ashley, who is 25, said “My family has a huge amount of experience of the impact of diabetes. My grandfather had Type 1 for over 10 years, and my nan also had it for around 20 years. My niece, Scarlett, is only 9 and was diagnosed with Type 1 in 2016. My other grandmother has Type 2 diabetes.
"I wanted to challenge myself to do something amazing for Diabetes UK Cymru to support other families who are affected by the condition.
“I decided on a skydive rather than running a half marathon, as I wouldn’t need to train! My dad did one a few years ago and told me what an incredible experience it was.
"It felt like my grandfather was smiling down on us"
“The scary part was shuffling towards the edge, getting ready to drop. I was freefalling for 40 seconds and then it took 4 minutes to descend to earth, enjoying the stunning views and beautiful weather. It felt like my grandfather was smiling down on us. It was such an adrenaline rush and I’d love to do it again one day.”
Congratulations Ashley for being such a fearless fundraiser, and thank you for your incredible support. We look forward to hearing about your next challenge!
Feel inspired to take the plunge? Find out how you can fundraise to help us make a difference in Wales.
