Meet David Bland, the Abseiling Octogenarian!

On Sunday 24 May at 9.30am, Blesma Member David Bland will celebrate his 80^th birthday by abseiling the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, along with eleven friends.

For those unfamiliar with the Spinnaker Tower, it is Portsmouth’s most prominent landmark, standing at 560ft (170 metres) and overlooking Portsmouth Harbour.

David has been a Member of Blesma since 1955, and is no stranger to daredevil feats of endurance. In 2014, David, along with his son Barrie and several members of staff from his company, SPR, leapt from a plane at 13,500ft as part of Blesma’s annual Fall for the Fallen event, raising nearly £3,500 in the process.

An avid supporter of Blesma, David has also organised activities at SPR including a Blesma Halloween collection last year, and has also taken the ‘Blesma Banner’ as far afield as China, as you can see from this photo of him wearing his Blesma hoody in Tiananmen Square.

So, following this abseil, what’s next for one of Blesma’s oldest adrenaline junkies?

“Next year I’m going to try and set a record for the highest recorded Assisted Free Fall Jump made by anyone over 80”….watch this space!

To sponsor David on this incredible 80th birthday challenge, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/David-C-Bland/

If you are inspired by David, and are interested in fundraising for Blesma, or would like to take part in this year's Fall for the Fallen event on 28-30 August, please email fundraising@blesma.org 

Laura Hyde, Community & Events Manager