Hartley Wintney man to jump out of plane in aid of brother (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Hartley Wintney man to jump out of plane in aid of brother

1:00pm Sunday 14th October 2012 in Local By Chris Gregory

A DAD from Hartley Wintney will do a fundraising skydive in aid of his brother, who is paralysed.

Father-of-two John Mead, 30, will do the 15,000ft jump at Salisbury on Saturday, October 20 to raise money for Spinal Research.

His brother Simon became paralysed from the chest down at the age of 20, after an accident at a beach at The Witterings, West Sussex, in 2006.

He ran into the water to cool down but misjudged the depth and broke his neck.

John, of Springfield Avenue, said his brother has struggled to find a wheelchair that will support his body and has effectively been confined to his house in Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire.

He said: “It’s been quite tough for him but we are starting to get there.

“Spinal Research is a good charity which researches spinal cord injuries and stem cell treatment, so hopefully there can be some sort of solution or remedy to his problems.”

Mr Mead, a quantity surveyor, has raised more than £350 for his skydive jump. To sponsor him, visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JohnMead.