Fundraising abseil is a leap of faith for mothers, sons and vicars (From Darlington and Stockton Times)
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Chuchgoers abseil inside St Cuthbert's Church, Darlington
12:17pm Saturday 2nd March 2013 in News
By Andy Walker, Chief Reporter (Darlington)
Nine year old Caleb Stand from Darlington abseils St Cuthberts Church in Darlington for charity today
MOTHER and son Melanie and Caleb Stand were among dozens of church members to take part in a ‘leap of faith’ abseil, raising hundreds of pounds for a youth group.
The 65ft abseil took place inside St Cuthbert’s Church, Darlington, today (Saturday, March 2) and was in support of Darlington Area Churches Youth Ministry.
Participants abseiled from a clerestory – a high window above eye-level – within the church, gingerly guiding their feet down the wall for a few feet before freestyling the rest of the way to the altar.
Nine-year-old Caleb, a pupil at High Coniscliffe Primary School, said the scariest part was “when I ran out of wall”.
He has collected more than £600 in sponsorship for the youth ministry, which was set up five years ago by a group of local churches to work with the borough’s young people.
Mrs Stand described the experience as nerve-wracking and “horrible, but in a good way”.
Another participant, Linda Donaldson, minister-in-training at Darlington Baptist Tabernacle, in Corporation Road, said: “I was absolutely terrified. When the moment came, I did not think my hand was going to let go of the rail.
“But it did, and I would definitely do it again. It is a brilliant cause.”
The Reverend Robert Williamson, vicar of St Cuthberts, also took part in the abseil.
