Balfour Beatty high-flyers take to the skies to help prevent road death

Daring employees of Sheffield-based Balfour Beatty Utilities (BBUL) are taking part in a 10,000ft tandem skydive to raise vital funds for road safety charity Brake.

The 21-strong team will take to the skies above Brigg in Humberside at Target Skysport, based at the Hibaldstow Airfield (DN20 9NN), on Saturday, 14 July 2007.

BBUL is an ardent supporter of Brake and the charity’s work in preventing death and injury on the road and caring for people bereaved and seriously injured in road crashes. At Brake’s recent Fleet Safety Forum Awards for Excellence 2007, BBUL walked away with the award for Company Driver Safety (medium size fleet) for their road safety endeavours. BBUL introduced a comprehensive driver assessment and training programme, a driver incentive scheme and embraced Brake’s flagship annual event Road Safety Week (which this year takes place from 5-11 November) as an opportunity to raise awareness among drivers.

Money raised by BBUL will help fund Brake’s life-saving educational work and its services for families bereaved and injured through road crashes.

Kerry Stewart, a member of the BBUL skydiving team said: “BBUL is proud to be one of Brake’s corporate partners. Road safety is a top priority at BBUL and it is a huge help to be closely linked with Brake and the Fleet Safety Forum. It’s great that we could make our challenge a fund-raising event and Brake was our obvious first choice as a charity as it means the proceeds from our day can contribute towards their great work.”

Jools Townsend, head of corporate liaison at Brake, said: “We are proud to have the ongoing support of Balfour Beatty Utilities. Their work to ensure company drivers are using roads safely is exemplary and we are delighted that they are now taking their support of Brake to new heights! Without fundraisers like the BBUL high-flyers, Brake would be unable to continue its essential work to make our roads and communities safer, and to care for families devastated by road death and injury.”

Anyone who wants to follow the lead of the BBUL high-flyers and fundraise for Brake or get involved with road safety in other ways should email iwanttohelp@brake.org.uk