A teenager with Down’s syndrome who was refused a planned charity skydive has successfully completed the challenge.
Lloyd Martin, 19, came to Salisbury in June to take part in a charity skydive to raise funds for his gymnastics club in Camberley.
Prior to the big day, Lloyd and his mum, Ceri Hooper, were told by the skydiving team at GoSkydive that subject to a doctor’s note, he would be fine to jump. However, just minutes before he was due to be taken to the sky in the plane, he was told “we can’t allow someone with Down’s syndrome to skydive”.
At the time, Ceri had contacted the sky diving company, but was dissatisfied with its response. She said: “They didn’t answer any of our questions at all – in the brief response they gave us, we wanted to find out exactly why it was that they refused him. Just saying ‘because of downs’ syndrome’ was not good enough in our eyes.”
In part of a statement to the Journal, managing director at GoSkydive Gordon Blamire said: “While we understand the frustrations of Lloyds’s family, our commitment is to Lloyd’s wellbeing. Lloyd’s family know him well, but we do not.”
For the full statement, see this: Teenager with Down's syndrome refused planned charity skydive
Next, Ceri and Lloyd contacted British Skydiving medical centre, where they advised them to go to Hinton Skydiving Centre. At the beginning of August, he was able to complete the skydive.
Ceri said: “They were absolutely brilliant with him. He absolutely loved it, it was amazing. That’s how it should’ve been at the beginning – it was disappointing but at the end it was a fantastic experience for Lloyd and that’s what we wanted to achieve.
“They were so brilliant to him because they spent time with him and got to know him - I wish people would do that more.”
Since then, Lloyd has taken part in the Great North Run where it is anticipated he has achieved a Guinness World Record - his second following his achievement of the youngest person with his disability to complete a marathon at the London Marathon in April.
Ceri said: “Just be prepared to give someone a bit of extra time to get to know them and it will make a world of difference."
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