MAD Dog McCrea is just one of four popular bands performing at a special concert next month — raising money for a group of Tavistock friends who will soon take to the skies for an extreme skydive for charity. 'Skyline Sessions' is being staged at The Wharf, Tavistock, on Friday, May 2 at 8pm and will see a varied mixture of music from four of the finest local bands: Mad Dog McCrea, Less Than Me, Willie and the Bandits and Chigwah. The event has been organised by former Tavistock College students Jake Rowley, Gemma and Cally Meredith and Sue Kite, as on May 17 they will be taking part in a 10,000ft tandem skydive to raise money for four charities close to their hearts. Gemma, 24, has chosen CHICKS, a children's charity based at Brentor, as she feels it is a brilliant local charity.Jake and Cally, 27, have chosen CLIC Sargent and The Anthony Noland Trust due to the connection the charities had with a girl they knew who died from Plastic A anaemia, an early phase preceding acute lymphatic leukemia. Sue has chosen St Luke's Hospice. Her neighbour, who put Christmas lights around his house for the charity last December, had one of his collection boxes containing a substantial sum of money, stolen from the property. The idea for the jump came from Gemma and Sue's boss, who was also interested in doing a skydive for charity — and Sue said 'let's do it!' Sue, 24, said: 'A month later, after we said we would do it, it was booked. I was the one who was saying "it will be fine" but now I am getting nervous. But my daughter says that if I have some fairy dust from Tinkerbell then we won't fall!' Jake, 23, said he is nervous but has recently become determined to do the jump as his brothers have said that if he goes through with it they will donate a 'huge' amount to the charity. 'I am well excited to take part in the jump — especially after my friends offered to pay a large amount for charity. I have always wanted to do a skydive — I think it will be a great experience. 'We are all so grateful for everyone's input into the charity concert and we thank everyone for their support — especially the bands, who are performing on the night to help us raise as much money as possible for all four charities, as they are doing it for free! 'I think holding the concert is a better way of raising money than asking everyone we know for sponsorship as this way they turn up and get something for their money.' Having already raised more than £500 from other events, the group is hoping to raise as much as possible for their chosen charities. Jake added: 'Although there is a minimum amount we have to get in order to do the skydive, we are hoping to raise as much as possible — and if the charity concert is a success it will go a long way towards helping these individual charities.' Tickets for the event are selling fast but there are still some 200 left. Each ticket costs £7 and are available from The Wharf box office on 01822 611166. If anyone cannot make it to the event but would like to donate money to either one of the charities contact Gemma on 078177 59807.
