By Simon Sansome
De Montfort University Square Mile raised more than £5,000 for charity as staff and students abseiled down Gateway House.
Amanda Thorley, Printing & Commercial Services Manager at De Montfort University (DMU), is celebrating her 50th birthday this week; to mark the event she decided to abseil down Gateway House for charity.
Amanda is doing 50 challenges to mark her 50 years and abseiling is just one of the 50. She said: “This is to raise funds for DMU Square Mile that puts vital funds back into the community for here and abroad for under-privileged students, so good causes all round in my opinion.”
Onlookers laughed and cheered as she came down the building and landed to rapturous applause.
DMU Square Mile is a community service run by the university set to bring positive change to the community. The university sees itself as a network for life-altering service to the community of Leicester.
Devish Patel was walking by at the time of the abseil and stopped to watch the event. He said: “It’s great that staff are raising funds for the community. I was just passing by when I saw a person edge over the top of the building, it’s quite exciting.
“Now I know DMU Square Mile exists I might give them a call if they need any volunteers.”
Sam Wright, DMU Square Mile’s Community Partnership Co-ordinator who organised the event, said: “We have raised over £5,000 and more than 40 people abseiled down Gateway House.
“The abseil went brilliantly, it was great to see people from all over the university conquering their fears and taking the plunge.”
For anyone interested in volunteering for DMU Square Mile, email squaremile@dmu.ac.uk or phone (0116) 257 7135.
