A GROUP of Lydney business people ‘faced their worst fears’ to raise £3,280 recently for mental health charity Mind.

Christina Mills, managing director at Aroha Lettings, organised the event and said: “Six of us completed a tandem jump sky dive from 10,000ft at a Swindon airfield.

“We chose to support the Mind charity as each person who did the jump has a friend or family member close to them who has had, or is still suffering with, mental health issues.

“We all felt that we wanted to try and raise more awareness about the stigma of the illness - and that it is okay sometimes not to feel okay - and that there is a support network out there to help.”

Christina Mills, managing director of Aroha Lettings, Rob Temblett, director at RT Services, Leanne Morgan, maintenance manager for RT Services, Johanna Warren, mortgage adviser at Aroha Lettings, Jessica Teague, beauty therapist at Cream Xtendz and Josh Mathews, property negotiator at Aroha Lettings all took part in the sky dive.

“We were all extremely nervous as apart from Rob and Johanna, who have previously done a sky dive, we were facing our worst fears,” Christina added.

“However we felt that if we were doing this purely for fun it would not make a great charity event.

“Anyone who knows any of us knows this was not something we would have done lightly.

“We all took part but did not go up in the same plane as it only holds eight people including the pilot, instructors and person recording the jump.

“It was a great experience though and I would recommend it to anyone. Our target was £2,400 and, to date, we have raised £3,280.11 so we have gone well over target.”

Visit www.mind.org.uk for information on the charity’s work. To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/teamarohaskydive.