Services & Activites

Voyage manager volunteers to make charity skydive dream come true

Operations Manager Urvi Patel, who manages supported living services for adults with learning and physical disabilities across Norfolk, jumped out of a plane to fulfil a lifelong ambition for one of her residents. Urvi, who lives in Gayton, said: “Ian told us he had always wanted to jump out of an aeroplane, but due to him being in a wheelchair and his other medical conditions we were not sure if he would be able to”.

Ian, who lives in Acle, was there on the day to cheer Urvi on. Talking about why the jump was important to him, Ian said: “It’s something I have always wanted to do. I love dogs and wanted to help people that are ill”. Ian chose to raise money for two charities, Dogs For Good, an organisation that trains dogs to help disabled people and the Alzheimer’s Society.

Urvi, who looks after a number of Voyage’s supported living settings across Norfolk and parts of Cambridgeshire, said: “I have never done anything like this before and on the day I was quite nervous. But it was an amazing experience; I am delighted I could do it for Ian and raise money for charity at the same time.”

Supporting in a variety of settings

The customers at Attleborough Community Hub, with their support workers, spend time with the Prison Service helping to train their specialist contraband dogs. Support Worker Donna, who co-ordinates the sessions, explains: “The customers have had to learn not respond to the dogs during the training and understand the need to remain completely still and silent while the searches are carried out.

“They now love it and are genuinely excited to be taking part. It also gives customers a sense of doing something worthwhile and improves their confidence through working in close contact with the dogs and people in uniform, which some can find daunting.”

As a support worker every day is different and involves supporting people in a variety of settings.