Hard times he faced as a child inspires NHS worker to stage charity sky dive for Burnley organisation that has helped 17,000 vulnerable households

Mark West signed up for the challenge when he read about DEPHER on social media.

A community interest company, that offers free, or heavily subsided, plumbing and heating services for vulnerable older and disabled people in and around the area, while also supporting low-income households with food donations, it was founded in 2017 by James Anderson,

Since then DEPHER has supported more than 17,000 Burnley households over the years – relying solely on public donations.

Mark, who works for the NHS in neuropsychiatry as a health care support worker, said: "I've never come across such a fantastic guy such as James Anderson is and his amazing team at DEPHER

"From the day I heard about DEPHER I knew this was the charity I wanted to help."

The sky dive, which is Mark's third one for charity, will take place at the Black Knights Parachute Centre in Lancaster on July 30th. He began fund raising in 2007 for his eldest daughter's special needs nursery by doing a bungee jump and the Peak Pursuits Challenge.

Then in 2019 he did his first skydive to raise funds for Alice charity. which helps families in crisis. He did the second one last year for the hospital ward that he works on in his hometown of Stoke on Trent.

His tough childhood was the inspiration to help others as Mark explained: "During my childhood money was extremely tight to the point where me and my four siblings were only having two meals a day.

"Our father worked long hours travelling from Yorkshire to London and back every day delivering.

"But no matter how hard he worked it just wasn't enough to feed his family. Back in the early 90s there wasn't much help as in food banks and charities that help communities.

"So a few years ago I made it my aim and ambition to raise money for worthwhile charities that help the community, where the money raised goes directly to the people that need it."

Mark has set up a gofundme page and anyone who would like to make a donation is asked to click HERE