Charity fundraisers – including some in fancy dress – took part in an abseil from the top of the Point of Ayre lighthouse. A total of 52 made the daring 105-foot descent on Saturday (April 13). It was all to raise funds for The Children’s Centre’s work with families and children across the Island. All the participants received expert instruction from charity’s MOBEX outdoor pursuits team. Mark Eastham, Fundraising Co-ordinator for The Children’s Centre, said that funds were still coming in but the event is expected to raise around ?6,000. He commented:
“Thanks to everyone who took part and made the event such a success. It was a little windy at the top of the lighthouse, but our MOBEX team did a great job and everyone had a lot of fun with some of the abseilers turning up in fancy dress. We are also extremely grateful to the Northern Lighthouse Board and Peter Astell-Burt, the owner of the cottages and land where the lighthouse is, for kind permission to allow the abseil to take place.”
Among the asbeilers in fancy dress was Rushen MHK Laurence Skelly who dressed as Tigger from the Winnie The Pooh stories. Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK, Education and Children Minister Tim Crookall MHK, and Douglas South MHK Kate Beecroft also took part in the abseil. The Children’s Centre has organised several abseil events in recent years to raise funds - in 2010 from the top of the RBS International building in Douglas, and in 2012 and 2013 an indoor abseil at The Strand shopping centre.
A video of the Point of Ayre abseil is available at this link http://www.manx.net/tv/mt-tv/watch/54325/mhks-abseil
Photo - Among the asbeilers in fancy dress was Rushen MHK Laurence Skelly who dressed as Tigger from the Winnie The Pooh stories.
