The Red Devils will be taking lucky fundraisers for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity on a thrilling skydive in Netheravon, Wiltshire on 3 May. Claire Gray will be among them.
In 1987 Claire was living abroad with her Army husband and her infant son. She and her family were happy but the marriage quickly turned south, and Claire and her son were trapped with no money and no way to return home. Claire’s breaking point came when her son became covered in a rash, and the doctors said it was due to the stress of the situation.
With nowhere else to go, Claire turned to SSAFA for help. I recently spoke with Claire, and she had this to say:
“My son and I were stranded. That’s when I went to see SSAFA, and they helped me and my son get home. I’ve never forgotten that. If it hadn’t been for SSAFA, I don’t know where I would be today. I am truly thankful.”
SSAFA gave Claire and her son a second chance all those years ago, and she has made the most of it. She married an old friend from her hometown and lives just minutes from Netheravon. In her spare time Claire enjoys gardening, reading books, and spending time with her husband and her grandsons. She’s also a huge fan of the All Blacks, New Zealand’s national rugby union team, and even has a poster signed by the world-famous Jonah Lomu.
The SSAFA Sky Diving with the Red Devils on 3 May won’t be Claire’s first time freefalling thousands of feet in the air. Claire has been skydiving once over 30 years ago, and she thoroughly loved the experience and has been itching to do it again. She’s just as excited to be giving back to SSAFA in the process, for helping her escape a dire situation all those years ago.
You can donate to Claire’s fundraising page by clicking this link: https://ssafa.enthuse.com/pf/claire-gray.
For more information about SSAFA’s work in Wiltshire, click this link: www.ssafa.org.uk/wiltshire.
