Q&A: Get to know Twenty3’s skydiving team

It’s just over a month until three members of the Twenty3 team take part in a charity skydive – so we wanted to find out their thoughts as the big day approaches!

Tristan Minall, Kyle Joseph and Boris Addae will be facing their fears in Salisbury on 12th August, as they bid to raise money for our charity partner Street League.

Here’s what they had to say about the upcoming dive…

Jumping out of a plane at 10,000 feet feels like a somewhat daunting task! So what made you want to take part in the skydive next month?

TM: I think my instantaneous (and completely rational) response of “absolutely not” pushed me to want to move out of my comfort zone. But there also seemed to be a significant number of people who were extremely excited about the idea of me falling out of a plane, and who am I to disappoint the people!

KJ: It’s one of those things where, throughout my life, I’ve said “I’d do that” if given the chance – but it’s not one of those things you generally seek out. So when the opportunity arose, I thought “if not now then when?”. When you factor in that it’s helping a great cause, it was an easy decision.

BA: At first it was on a whim, but later I thought that it was a really good opportunity to experience something completely new. I also wanted to try and conquer my fears in the most extreme way possible.

How are you feeling about it as the day draws closer – are any nerves starting to kick in?

TM: My general lack of emotion is well reported – particularly directly at me by my empath girlfriend! But I think that nerves about launching yourself out of a plane are unavoidable.

KJ: I wouldn’t say nerves, but I’m not great with heights, I sometimes get vertigo going up escalators…

BA: At the moment I haven’t been feeling any nerves… but that may well change a few days before the dive!

Have you ever done anything like this before?

TM: I haven’t. I think the closest I’ve come is jumping off rocks into the sea as a child, so I’m a fair way off any previous experiences!

KJ: I did indoor skydiving a few days after agreeing to do this, but this will be by far the most extreme thing I’ve ever done.

BA: Definitely not. This is a huge leap for me… no pun intended!

The skydive is obviously for a good cause – raising money for our charity partner Street League. Why do you think people should support their work?

TM: I think sport has an incredible ability to help people to find themselves and their path in life. So supporting that – and therefore the kind of work Street League does – is an incredibly meaningful thing to do, and something that genuinely leads to people’s lives changing.

KJ: I think young people in general have had a tough time economically over the past decade, so often need a bit of help – which Street League are able to provide.

BA: There’s a growing young generation of people who are struggling to find a sense of purpose, in terms of what they want to do with their lives. I think Street League help those people improve and find themselves, as well as providing opportunities to break down barriers.

How are your fundraising efforts going so far?

KJ: It’s been a good start, but the difficult part will be consistency, after approaching my immediate circle of friends and family.

BA: Good so far – I’ve managed to find a fair few people who are interested in donating.

Finally, if people would like to donate, how can they get involved?

TM: You can donate at our JustGiving page here. Any amount helps, so please do get involved if you can.