STUDENT Ella Clouston was so disappointed to hear that the charity she volunteers with is having to stop its dementia programme due to reduced funding that she decided to do something about it.

Ella, a student at Durham University, has signed up for a skydive to raise money, said: “Poor mental health is an issue that has affected me for many years and as a result has affected the people closest to me.

“I have had the privilege of working with RT Projects, a local mental health charity in Durham which works very closely with the vulnerable members of their local community who are facing hardships with poor mental health.

“More often than not it is large or multinational charities that are highlighted for their work. RT Projects is able to work on a more personal and intimate level with the people that they help. They work with people of all ages and abilities in the community quite literally changing and saving lives.”

RT Projects manager Beano Flude said: “It was amazing and wonderful to witness, Ella burst in for her regular volunteering slot and announced that she was going to register to do a skydive right away for fear that she might change her mind.

“Ella had heard the week before that we were having to halt our dementia program ‘Making Memories’ and this had clearly played on her mind all week so she came up with her own way to help.”

To support Ella, go to https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/ellaclouston1?page=2#donationsList

The money she raises will go towards setting up an RT Projects Dementia café, which Ella will help to run.