Skydive to fund domestic violence refuges

Black Country Women's Aid said it was forced to turn away over two thirds of requests for refuge last year

The boss of a Birmingham-based IT firm is jumping out of an aircraft to help a local charity build 10 safe houses for families fleeing domestic violence.

Neil Bayliss, CEO of Hubtel IT, is doing a skydive in support of Black Country Women's Aid's The Key to a New Life campaign.

It comes after the charity said it was forced to turn away over two thirds of requests for refuge last year, although those people were offered other support.

Mr Bayliss, 47, will take to the sky from 14,000 feet at Langar Airfield in Nottingham on 21 June, joined by 10 staff members from the charity and two colleagues from Hubtel - Julian Brettle and Mike Leach.

The CEO of Hubtel, which provides cyber-security services for the charity, said: "The terror I feel when I think about doing this is brought into sharp perspective by the reason we're doing it.

"Domestic abuse affects so many people, and unlike our skydive, it takes place behind closed doors when no-one else is looking.

"Black Country Women's Aid's work to highlight it and help victims is critical. Leaping from a plane is the least we can do to support them."

Sara Ward, CEO of the charity, said: "When Black Country Women's Aid was first established nearly 40 years ago, it was with a refuge.

"Since then, our services have grown to meet local people's needs, but refuge remains at the heart of what we do.

"These new flats will provide safe and secure spaces from where families can heal together and rebuild their lives."