A pensioner with a thirst for adventure recently took to the skies in support of Cavell Nurses’ Trust after it came to the aid of his late wife, who worked as a nurse for 44 years.
Ken Lynch from Sandy in Bedfordshire, took part in a sponsored skydive at Chatteris Airfield near March in Cambridgeshire on Thursday 21st May. The 77 year old retired professional photographer, whose wife Audrey passed away last December, jumped from a height of 14,000 feet to raise money for Cavell Nurses’ Trust after it previously supported the couple.
Mr Lynch said: “The charity was very kind to Audrey, including donating a lovely television when she was in a home. I am very pleased to be doing this skydive for Cavell Nurses’ Trust to thank them for their help. I know Audrey would have approved of me giving something back to the people that helped us.”
Ken has skydived eight times in total and this was his first jump fundraising for Cavell Nurses’ Trust and he hopes to raise in excess of £1000 for the trust’s #HereForNurses campaign. Cavell Nurses’ Trust gives welfare support to Nurses, Midwives, Healthcare assistants and students experiencing financial or personal hardship, often because of illness, domestic abuse, disability, working poverty and older age.
Ken recently met HRH The Princess Royal at the Cavell Nurses’ Trust’s Royal Garden Party for an afternoon of commemoration and celebration. Also at the party was Pamela Iweze and her children who, like Ken’s wife Audrey, has also benefited from the Trust’s welfare services. A Healthcare Assistant from Croydon, Pamela found herself out of options on the verge of homelessness and struggling to hold on to a job, all whilst looking after her two children. Financial support from the Cavell Nurses’ Trust enabled Pamela to get back on her feet and find a house, which in turn enabled her to move forward in her job and restore the balance of being a working mum.
Pamela speaks about the event and her experience with the Trust:
“Meeting The Princess Royal was a great honour and I was delighted to be part of any event that celebrates the work of the Trust.
“The Trust’s support has been life changing for me, I’m not sure where I’d be today without it. Not only did they help me financially but emotionally too. Their compassion, at a time when other services had simply dismissed my need for help, meant so much to me and is not something I’ll forget. Most importantly my children are now much happier as a result, so for that I’m truly grateful.”
Ken’s courageous skydive will raise much needed money to fund the Trust’s work and directly help healthcare staff like Pamela and her family. Pamela is one of over 1000 Midwives, Nurses and Healthcare Assistants the Trust supports each year, for more information on how they help visit www.cavellnursestrust.org
About Cavell Nurses Trust
Cavell Nurses’ Trust wants no current or former nurse, midwife or healthcare assistant to suffer hardship.
Cavell Nurses’ Trust gives welfare support to nurses, midwives, healthcare assistants and students who are in financial or personal hardship. This can be because of illness, domestic abuse, disability, working poverty and older age.
We also support the future of nursing and midwifery with awards for students. We do this to celebrate excellence and future leadership. It’s another way we’re here for nurses.
How we help
We give a listening ear and practical support to everyone who asks for help. We’re a charity and we help people at no cost to them. There’s no membership, we’re not a union or insurance scheme.
- Amy escaped domestic abuse. We helped with money to start a new home.
- Pamela’s home needed modifying after her spinal injury. We were there for her.
- Hussain really felt like the ‘working poor’. We helped maximise his benefits.
Who we help
We support over 1,000 people every year. From giving a listening ear, to help maximising benefits and around £0.5 million in financial support.
But this is just the start, Cavell Nurses’ Trust is here for:
- 678 thousand registered nurses and midwives and 1.2million healthcare assistants
- 100s of thousands of retired nurses, midwives and HCAs
- 70 thousand nursing and midwifery students
- And all their dependants
Edith Cavell: An Inspirational Nurse
Edith Cavell was a British Nurse born on 4 December 1865. She is celebrated for saving WW1 soldiers’ lives on both sides of the fight. Because she helped 200 Allied soldiers reach freedom from German-occupied Belgium, Edith was arrested, found guilty of treason and sentenced to death on 12 October 1915.
Cavell Nurses Trust was established in 1917. We’re proud and privileged to maintain Edith’s legacy in our work.
In fact Edith lives on in our values: Courage. Compassion & Care. Respect. Excellence. Teamwork.
