Friends Jayne Donn and Anita Goldie are skydiving in memory of a son and a dad who both died suddenly and unexpectedly.
The skydive is set for October 29 and comes after a race night at Soroba House in Oban on Friday October 13.
Funds raised will go to Carr Gomm Housing Support Service in thanks for the help given to both men.
Some of the money will also go towards Oban Skate Park, something that Jayne’s son James MacMillan would have loved to see built in his home town.
James was just 29 when he passed away and the father of Anita’s children, Gary Goldie – a talented chef – was 48.
Jane had planned the skydive for earlier this year on what would have been James’s 30th birthday but it had to be postponed until this month.
Jumping out of a plane was something both women had on milestone birthday bucket lists but never got round to achieving – until now.
“James had always wanted to do a skydive. He never got to do it so I’m doing it for him and for myself. I’ll be taking him with me, either wearing one of his t-shirts or a t-shirt with his picture on,” she said.
James and Gary both had mental health issues, Jayne and Anita hope the skydive and race night will help raise more awareness to help reduce the stigma attached to mens’ mental health and addictions and to prevent more deaths.
“Masculine stereotypes prevent men from seeking help but this needs to change. It’s ok for men to not be ok. It is also okay for them to talk and to ask for help and receive the help and support they deserve.
“Government surveys suggest that men have less life satisfaction than woman and are more likely to use alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism and more likely to commit suicide,” said Jayne.
Getting James a mental health diagnosis was a battle even though it had been in a poor state from a young age, said Jayne. Gary had also struggled with bad mental health since being a young adult. Both men died last year.
“Men still seem to bottle up their feelings. There are some talking groups in Oban but all the support that they need is most definitely not available.
“I’m doing this as something positive, to make sure James and others like him are not forgotten. There has to be change, I’ve written a long letter to the Government. There’s so much change that’s needed that it’s difficult to know where to start and how to start it but we are doing what we can and hope people will support us by giving generously to our Gofundme page,” said Jayne.
You can find their Gofundme page here:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/r4dn4n-raising-awareness-for-mens-mental-health
Caption: NO-T40-JamesMacmillan-2023-mumskydiving