A disabled man is appealing for help so he can fulfil a life time dream of skydiving.
Steve Wilkins wants to do the jump so he can raise money for a spinal injury charity.
The 46-year-old from South Ham was left paralysed from the chest down after breaking his neck in 2001.
Mr Wilkins is aiming to raise money for the Back-up Trust, which arranges outdoor activities for people with spinal cord injuries.
He said: “It would be a chance for me to give something back to a charity that has helped me a lot in the past and give me a chance to have an adventure at the same time.”
Mr Wilkins said that he has no idea how to go about raising money for the charity and is asking for people to come forward and offer to help him out.
Mr Wilkins broke his neck on June 24 in 2001 after jumping into a paddling pool when he was living in Burns Close, Popley.
In all, he was in hospital for a year. He was transferred from Basingstoke Hospital to a specialist unit in Southampton to have surgery and then to Salisbury Hospital to complete his recovery.
Mr Wilkins remains wheelchair-bound and has no movement below his chest and has no control over his hand movements.
The former fork-lift truck driver said: “The incident was something like you see on You've Been Framed every single week, but in my case I wound up in hospital for a year.”
Since then, Mr Wilkins has tried not to let his disability hold him back. In May 2008, he was part of a team that drove a solar-powered buggy from London to Bath.
Through the Back-up Trust, Mr Wilkins has been on a dry slope skiing trip and in March last year he took a drama course in Wales.
“Since having my accident, I have a new zest for life, which, thankfully, people have helped me with,” said Mr Wilkins.
“Sometimes it takes a life-changing experience to give you the boost to do things you would never have dreamed of doing before. Some of my friends with similar injuries have become very reclusive and don't come out any more and it is very scary to see that.”
The father-of-two said he needs to raise £800 for his daring adventure, half of which will go to the charity. But he said he is stuck for ideas.
If you think you can help Mr Wilkins, email steve-wilkins@ hotmail.co.uk or call 07788 487323.
