Carmarthenshire nurse takes on skydive for SSAFA

20 September 2023

Brenda Scourfield, a retired senior nurse from Carmarthenshire, made a recent leap of faith for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity: a tandem parachute jump from 15,000 feet with GoSkydive.

The sprightly 73-year-old – who said: “I would recommend the skydive experience to everyone!” – was a nurse for a remarkable 47 years before retiring in 2017. She then put her invaluable experience and skills to another use as a Well-Being Officer at a local school, specialising in teenage mental health.

Brenda explains her fundraising for SSAFA, saying: “A few families move to the area when they leave the Armed Forces, and I became aware of SSAFA when the mother of children at the school told me that her husband found civilian life very difficult.

“A short while later, she phoned me to say that the children’s father had committed suicide.”

She added: “That’s when my journey for raising money for SSAFA began, and I got in touch with Moira Dickinson, the charity’s Regional Fundraising Manager [West].”

The District Chairman for Inner Wheel District 15 – Inner Wheel was founded in 1924 by Welsh-born Margarette Golding, a nurse and the wife of a Rotarian – Brenda invited Moira to its AGM to talk about the work SSAFA does in Wales, which she described as “inspirational”.

“I had the support of the clubs to make SSAFA my Charity of the Year,” adds Brenda, “and to date, have given Moira £267 for an afternoon tea I organised and £400 from sale of raffle tickets.”

She describes her skydive – which she sponsored – for SSAFA as “thoroughly enjoyable”, and so far, donations have totalled some £1,110 with £133 in Gift Aid, and donations are still being made.

Brenda says: “I had a wonderful day at Swansea Airport where I did my skydive at 73 years of age and would recommend the experience to everyone!

“SSAFA will be my charity until the end of my year as District Chairman [June 2024] and I look forward to giving Moira another cheque to SSAFA in Wales to carry on its excellent work in supporting our Armed Forces whether serving or in civilian life.”