Abseilers aged 14 to 85 raise over £6,000 for older Islanders

Fifteen brave fundraisers took on a 100-metre descent down Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower on Sunday 13 September 2026, raising over £6,000 so far for Age UK Isle of Wight.

From a teenager taking on her first abseil to an 85-year-old volunteer returning to it after around 60 years, our supporters brought courage and determination to a challenge that will help us continue supporting older people across the Island.

Meet our abseilers

Our team included two corporate teams from Home Instead Isle of Wight and Island Roads, alongside individual fundraisers Samantha Carter, Vix Lowthion, Charlotte White, Brenda Bumstead and Gordy, from Gordy’s Wood Co.

Gordy took on the descent alongside his daughter, with the pair raising funds together. Reflecting on the day, he said:

“Massive thank you to Michaela for organising it as well. The whole day was brilliant.”

Our youngest participant, Charlotte White, completed her first abseil just nine days after her 14th birthday, a memorable way to mark the occasion while supporting older people in her community.

At 85, our oldest participant was Brenda Bumstead, who also gives her time as an Age UK Isle of Wight volunteer. Before the challenge, she explained:

“The last time I abseiled was off the cliffs near Freshwater and it was approximately 60 years ago, so this will be slightly different!”

Brenda showed incredible bravery and determination throughout her descent, even coming down nearly sideways! A good strong cup of tea was definitely needed afterwards.

Having also completed a fundraising skydive for us last summer, Brenda has put an extraordinary amount of courage into supporting our work. We’re grateful to her and every member of our abseil team for their efforts.

A thank you from all of us

Maria Bunce, our Chief Officer, said:

“We are incredibly grateful to all 15 of our abseilers and to everyone who sponsored them. Taking that first step over the edge is a huge challenge, and it means so much that they chose to do it to support older people here on the Island.

“From Charlotte taking on her first abseil at 14 to Brenda returning to it at 85, there are some wonderful stories behind this event. Together with our teams from Home Instead and Island Roads, every participant has given us something to celebrate.

“Their fundraising will help us continue supporting older Islanders, and we would like to thank everyone who helped make the day possible.”

We would also like to say a massive thank you to Wightlink for generously providing free ferry tickets for our abseilers, and to the Spinnaker Tower team for their support in helping everything run smoothly on the day.

To everyone who took part, sponsored an abseiler or helped organise the event: thank you. Your support is hugely appreciated.

There’s still time to support our abseilers

The descent may be over, but you can still sponsor our participants and help their fundraising total grow.

As an independent local charity, Age UK Isle of Wight supports older Islanders through services including companionship, information and signposting, practical help at home, dementia support and help following a hospital stay. Fundraising like this helps us continue making a difference within our Island community.

Visit our abseil page to meet our fundraisers and sponsor an individual or team.