This Saturday (16 May), just one week after turning 16, local school girl from Danebury School Stockbridge, Imogen Poole, will be joining Humanimal Trust CEO, Joe Bailey, alongside Trustees and other brave supporters, as they abseil down Portsmouth’s iconic Spinnaker Tower.
Imogen is not only taking on this incredible challenge to raise money for Humanimal Trust, she’s doing it in memory of her dad, Richard.
Imogen’s mum, Anoushka, shares their story:
“Nine years ago, we lost my husband Richard – Imogen and her younger brother Freddie’s father – suddenly and tragically in a road accident. At the time, we were living in France and had travelled back to the UK to visit family. On the journey home, we missed our ferry from Portsmouth.
“What could have been a stressful inconvenience turned into something unexpectedly precious. Instead of rushing home, we spent a beautiful extra day together as a family. We visited the Spinnaker Tower, took in the breathtaking views across the coast, shared lunch together, laughed, and simply enjoyed each other’s company. None of us could have known then that it would become one of our final treasured memories as a family of four.
“That day has stayed with Imogen ever since. Now, all these years later, she has chosen to face her fears and abseil down the very tower that holds such powerful memories of her father. It’s an emotional challenge in every sense of the word.
“As the day gets closer, the nerves are definitely building — which is why every message of support and every donation means so much. The more encouragement she receives, the more courage she’ll have to take that brave step over the edge.”
Imogen and her family are huge animal lovers with two dogs, Titch and Holly, and a horse called Dusty. They are proud to support Humanimal Trust – driving collaboration between doctors, vets and researchers so that all humans and animals benefit from sustainable and equal medical progress, but not at the expense of an animal’s life.
If you would like to support Imogen, you can donate to her fundraising page here.
We are incredibly moved by the powerful motivations behind our brave abseil participants, and so grateful that they are all challenging themselves and facing their fears to support us.
If you would like to take on the abseil yourself, there’s still time to sign up – register here.