A Sport student from Stratford-upon-Avon College has taken charity fundraising to new heights as she abseiled from the top of a football stadium to raise money for the Aston Villa Foundation.
Hayley Banks, 17, who is in her first year of the Sport course, has smashed her fundraising target for her abseiling challenge at Aston Villa’s Villa Park stadium and raised over £200 for the Foundation.
Hayley has always had an interest in Sport, especially Football. She wanted to take part in the abseil to challenge herself and also to support the Aston Villa Foundation so they can give others the opportunity to play sport; something she is incredibly passionate about: “I know they will help young people learn about sports, mentor people who need it, and bring the community together by focusing on disabilities in sport, crime reduction, and different types of education.”
She abseiled from Holte End, the most famous stand at Villa Park, historically renowned as one of Europe’s largest behind-the-goal terraces. The extra twist was that it took place in the evening, so they were abseiling in the dark.
Though the event happened on Friday 13th, unlucky for some, this was not the case for Hayley, who said: “It was so fun and such a good experience.” With a personal target of £150, she is currently on £235 raised and counting!
Sport Lecturer, Enrique Cardenas, is incredibly proud of his student’s achievement: “It is truly inspiring to see Hayley going the extra mile by engaging in meaningful activities beyond the college environment. Her kindness, commitment, and dedication to her personal development shine through in everything she undertakes. She is a wonderful example of hard work, resilience, and tenacity for all our students. I am incredibly proud of her achievements and can’t wait to hear about the next event she takes part in.”
If you want to donate to her fundraising, you can do so here.
