Unveil your inner superhero for the Gold Dust abseil

Volunteers are invited dress as a superhero and take up the daunting challenge of abseiling down a building, to raise money for our children’s wards.

The Gold Dust Appeal is joining forces with Children’s Happy Hospital Fund and Derriford Children’s Cancer Services for the first Superheroes Abseil, taking place on Sunday 25th September, down Plymouth’s well known Holiday Inn.

To launch the event, a group of five students; Hana, Aimee, Phoebe, Emma and Maddy, also known as the Gold Dust Superheroes, visited the Holiday Inn and were joined by Emma Cronin, Gold Dust Appeal Fundraiser, Simon Mullens from Isca Outdoor and Rich Barnes, Operations Director from JEM Scaffolding Ltd, who has kindly agreed to donate the scaffold required for the event for free.

Since forming, the group have already completed a sponsored haircut which involved cutting 14 inches of Maddy’s hair off, raising £350.00 for the appeal, are taking part in the abseil and have planned upcoming events such as a virtual cycle, a 25 hour dance-athon, swim-athon and much more.

Hana said: “I first found out about the Gold Dust Appeal and its goals when I visited a stall at the Open Day at Derriford Hospital this year. My friends and I were very inspired by what the appeal was aiming to do and we were keen to help fundraise. Over the next year, the five of us are aiming to raise as much money as we can for the Gold Dust Appeal.”

View from Holiday Inn Emma Cronin added: “Volunteers are carrying out all sorts of activities throughout this year to raise money for a makeover of our children’s wards on level 12. These range from cake sales and collections to a skydive, fun run and now this abseil.

“We are so grateful to the ‘Gold Dust Superheroes’ for being so passionate and getting so involved with the fundraising. They are a great example of young people helping others.

“The location for this abseil is perfect and the views from the top of the hotel are absolutely stunning! If anyone would like to reveal their inner superhero and get sponsored to help children and young people at the same time, please sign up or contact me for more detail at ecronin@nhs.net or call 07557 101074.”

The Gold Dust Appeal aims to raise £100,000 to create a bright, exciting and welcoming environment throughout the children’s and young people’s areas on level 12 of Derriford Hospital.

To find out more about the abseil or to sign up, please visit http://bit.ly/GoldDustAbseil

To sponsor the group, please visit justgiving.com/teams/GdSuperhero