Teenagers from Pennington and Hordle to abseil down Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth in aid of Broadleaf home education co-operative

TWO plucky mates will be abseiling down a 560ft coastal tower to raise money for a home education family hub in the New Forest.

Jacob Jones (14), from Pennington, came up with the idea of descending the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth in aid of the Broadleaf home education co-operative in Bramshaw.

Right by his side on Sunday, 18th May will be Finley How (13), from Hordle, who Jacob managed to rope in.

Jacob’s mum Kerry Winsley said: “Jacob had a difficult time at school. He went to a special school in Southampton for people with autism, but we decided last March to take him out of there and home educate him.

“We found a place for him at Broadleaf, and when Jacob started there it made such a difference for him.

“It was nice to see him feeling so comfortable around adults again, and he said to me that he wanted to help give something back to the volunteers who run the centre.

“He decided he wanted to do this fundraiser, and he said it had been on his mind for some time to climb down the Spinnaker Tower.

“That's how it all came about, and then he looked around to see if anyone wanted to join him and his friend Finley said he would.”

After deciding he wanted to abseil down Spinnaker Tower, Jacob set up a GoFundMe page with an initial fundraising target of £500.

Kerry said the fundraiser has already achieved that target amount, so she has increased it to £750 - it currently stands at £705.

She added: “We have visited the Spinnaker Tower a couple of times when Jacob was younger, and he always said he wanted to climb down it. He hasn’t done any practice or training for it, he’s going to just wing it.

“The funds he will be raising will be going to an amazing place - so many people really appreciate what the people at Broadleaf do for teenagers like Jacob.”

To support Jacob’s fundraising challenge, visit gofund.me/4c574633