Knights team skydives to raise funds

An inspiring team of family lawyers from Knights, a legal and professional services business based in Essex, has made headlines after successfully completing a tandem skydive to raise funds for St Helena Hospice. The skydiving event, which took place from 13,000 feet, occurred on Sunday 10 August and saw the team raise more than £5,700, surpassing their initial fundraising target of £3,500.

The courageous team members—Francesca Cozens, Lisa Collins, Farrah Harvey-Nawaz, Dorjan Myrtja, Beth Wade, and Ellis Crow—took part in this exhilarating challenge to support St Helena Hospice, an organisation dedicated to providing end-of-life care and support to patients and their families across Essex. The skydive held a special significance for Francesca Cozens, as her mother, Mary Crawley, received care at the hospice before her passing on 27 June 2023.

Speaking about the emotional connection to the event, Francesca shared, “The day was filled with joy, terror, and exhilaration - quite a combination.” She expressed gratitude for the support the team received, stating, “I was quite overwhelmed by the support and outpouring of love our team received by signing up to do the skydive in memory of my beautiful Mum and for the benefit of St Helena Hospice.”

Reflecting on the bond among her colleagues, Francesca added, “When my Mum was poorly, the team at Knights were a huge comfort and support to me, but it feels somewhat over and above for them to throw themselves out of an aircraft. I could not ask for better colleagues.”

The jump took place at UK Parachuting in Beccles, East Suffolk, with each team member taking turns to leap from the plane, plummeting to 5,000 feet within an adrenaline-filled 40 seconds before their parachutes were deployed.

In response to the team’s remarkable fundraising efforts, a St Helena Hospice spokesperson remarked, “We're incredibly grateful to the team at Knights for their amazing fundraising efforts. The money they've raised will make a huge difference, helping us to continue providing compassionate and specialist care to people and their families when they need it most.” The spokesperson described the heartfelt nature of the challenge, stating, “It's especially touching that the team took on this incredible challenge in memory of Mary, and we're so thankful for their dedication and support.”

For those wishing to show support or contribute to the cause, the Knights team has set up a JustGiving page, providing an opportunity for the community to join in their mission to support St Helena Hospice.