Defying Gravity for the Next Generation

On 27th June 2026, as a nationwide heatwave came to an end, ten courageous fundraisers took to the skies for a life-changing leap of faith to raise money for CPAS Venture Holidays. Marking CPAS’s second annual charity skydive, the initiative has gained rapid momentum over the last year with ten divers – including four staff members and their family and six current leaders from three different Venture holidays – taking the plunge in comparison to six in 2025. Remarkably, the group included a four-person leadership team from the Criccieth 2 Venture, who are taking on the 15,000-foot freefall challenge together.

For the six Venture leaders who dove, their connection with our holidays goes back decades. Whether they went on CYFA camps twenty years ago or grew up together as teenagers on holiday, Ventures have made a significant, lasting difference in their lives. One diver, Jo shared how his mum had been going to Danehill almost every year since she was 14 – in fact, his first holiday had been when he was still a baby! For all of them, Ventures are much more than a week in the summer; they are quite literally, a family affair.

While initial pre-jump nerves were naturally present, these were quickly matched by the sheer thrill of the challenge and the encouraging cheers of supportive friends and family waiting on the ground.

Reflecting on the adrenaline-fuelled challenge, one diver recalled:

‘Those moments before the jump were awful – I didn’t jump, I think I had to be pushed – but it was so good. That drop was something else. I checked my heart rate on my watch on the way down and it was 100bpm. But if you told me I could go up again, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.’

Another diver emphasised how crucial the professional support was on the day:

‘The instructors are so great. They’re really reassuring – mine told me he’d done over 20,000 dives. It’s literally another day in the office for them.’

'Despite the pre-dive nerves, every single participant came down to earth grinning and buzzing. The collective verdict being: ‘that was amazing! I’d definitely do it again, 100%!’

Each jump was fuelled by a deep passion for the upcoming summer Venture season and the first-hand experience of what a profound impact these holidays have had on the lives of some of the divers themselves. Jess, one of the leaders on Criccieth, shared how much she loved leading on the 10-day camping holiday.

'We've been going since we were kids. I met my best friend there. It's just everything, there's such a community vibe. With Criccieth being a camping holiday, we've had some great years of weather and also some shockers where it's rained and been so muddy - but that never stops us going or loving it.'

Ultimately, this inspiring challenge was about making a lasting difference and inspiring others to take on similar feats to support the future of the Church. The team of four leaders from Criccieth 2 were excited post-jump to return to their holiday and share their experience with their campers, determined to convince the ones old enough to consider it with one saying, ‘oh if I can do it, then they can absolutely do it too!’

CPAS residential holidays provide a vital space where young people aged 8-18 from all backgrounds can build friendships, explore faith and come to know Jesus more deeply. For many families facing financial hardship, these weeks would be entirely out of reach without the donations and financial generosity of our supporters.
When you donate to CPAS, you aren’t just cheering on our skydivers – you are directly investing in the future of the Church.

Take a leap of faith with us and help ensure no young person misses out on a life-changing holiday this summer by supporting their steps of faith through our 
Just Giving page.