Nine daring volunteers descended from the top of Coventry Cathedral on Saturday, raising more than £2,300 for the city's foodbank in one of Coventry's most spectacular charity challenges of the year.
Nine volunteers took on one of Coventry's most dramatic charity challenges on Saturday 1 August, abseiling 90 feet down the side of Coventry Cathedral to raise money for Coventry Foodbank.
The group -- which included local business owners, students, and community workers -- descended in pairs from the top of the landmark cathedral in the heart of the city, watched by friends, family, and passers-by below.
The event raised over £2,300 for Coventry Foodbank, which supports hundreds of families across the city every week. Organisers say the total is still rising as final sponsorship pledges come in.
Canon Gavin Kibble MBE, who helped coordinate the event at Coventry Cathedral, said: "We're incredibly proud of every single person who stepped off that ledge on Saturday. It takes real courage -- and real heart. Every pound raised goes directly to people in our city who are struggling to put food on the table."
Among the abseilers was Ryan Fisher, a business development manager at Unipart Group, who said the experience was both terrifying and unforgettable. "The view from the top is something you don't forget in a hurry," he said. "But knowing we were doing it for the foodbank made every second worthwhile."
Coventry Foodbank, part of the Trussell Trust network, distributed over 18,000 emergency food parcels in Coventry last year. Demand has risen sharply in recent years amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
The abseil was organised in partnership with Coventry Cathedral and local fundraising coordinators. Participants ranged in age from their twenties to their fifties, with several taking part in a charity abseil for the first time.
If you were inspired by Saturday's event and would like to support Coventry Foodbank, you can donate directly at coventryfoodbank.org.uk. The fundraising page for the cathedral abseil remains open.