A Hove firefighter is due to tackle a breathtaking skyscraper challenge in aid of a charity that works to save babies’ lives today (Saturday 9 September).
Nick Oliver-Taylor, 46, signed up for the London Landmarks Skyscraper Challenge to raise awareness of Tommy’s – and to raise money to support its vital work – as well as for the Fire Fighters Charity.
The challenge includes running up 1,100 steps – up 42 floors – of the Cheesegrater, one of London’s best-known skyscrapers, before travelling by zipwire across the city’s skyline to another well-known landmark, the Gherkin.
The sprint up the stairs is also a test of stamina, with Nick Oliver-Taylor planning to wear his full firefighter’s kit on a sweltering day. It could take about half an hour.
Those taking part then head up to the 51st floor of the Leadenhall Building, known as the Cheesegrater, before jumping out on to a zipwire some 230 metres above ground and 130 metres long.
The zipwire takes them straight to the 36th floor of the Gherkin building in St Mary’s Axe from where they abseil down.
Nick Oliver-Taylor, a father of three, has served in the fire service for 20 years and has spent the past five years at Hove – his third stint there.
He has an eight-year-old son and six-year-old twin girls. The twins were born five weeks early, weighing 3lb and 4lb.
He said: “My wife and I are very fortunate that our girls are healthy. They had great medical care and we were out of hospital after two months.
“I’m not doing this for my children. I am doing this for all the parents who are devastatingly not that lucky.
“I am looking for support and sponsorship to raise money for Tommy’s, an incredible charity. Tommy’s fund research into miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth – and provides pregnancy health information to parents.
“They believe it is unacceptable that one in four women lose a baby during pregnancy and birth. They want every parent to have the best possible pregnancy outcomes.
“Any donation will be greatly received and put to phenomenal use.”
The charity said that £100 could fund a scientist at one of Tommy’s ground-breaking research centres for a day.
And £1,000 could help fund Tommy’s Net for six months – a database where Tommy’s gathers clinical trial results to identify risk factors and develop better care for parents.
A donation of £3,000 could pay for 12 consultation sessions with Tommy’s Stillbirth Research Centre in Manchester.
To find out more or to sponsor Nick Oliver-Taylor, click here.
He has a fundraising target of £2,500, with more than £2,200 already pledged on his Just Giving page.
To learn more about Tommy’s, click here.
To learn more about the Fire Fighters Charity, click here.
