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Later this month, a remarkable family trio — Alicia (15), her dad James (39), and her grandad Simon (69) will be taking to the skies for an extraordinary challenge. On 21^st February 2026 at 10:30am (weather permitting), the three generations will complete a charity skydive at Beccles to raise funds and awareness for Autism Anglia.

Autism Anglia is a charity incredibly close to their hearts, and their skydive is inspired by the two boys who mean the world to them — Alicia’s brothers, Archie and Arlo, who are both autistic.

Why Autism Anglia?
For the family, autism is part of everyday life. Archie and Arlo both attend specialist education settings that have supported their needs from an early age.

Autism Anglia provides vital support to autistic children, adults, and families all across East Anglia — raising awareness, offering guidance, and creating opportunities that make a real difference.

“Autism impacts us as a family,” Alicia explains. “Therefore we’ve chosen to jump for Autism Anglia.”

In the lead-up to their big jump, the trio shared what inspired them and how they’re feeling about the challenge ahead:

Alicia (15, soon to be 16):
For Alicia, the skydive marks not only a milestone birthday, but a meaningful chance to support a charity that has supported her brothers.

“When I booked my skydive, it was a very spontaneous decision. I’ve always wanted to skydive and thought when I turn 16, I may as well just do it!

I was inspired to do it for Autism Anglia as both my brothers, Archie and Arlo, are diagnosed with autism. Living around them on a daily basis can be difficult, as autism is shown in everyone so differently.

Autism Anglia is there to help shape and support autistic children’s lives and support their families too. They give amazing opportunities to autistic people, so the charity means a lot to me — not just because it supports my close family and friends, but also many others across East Anglia.”

Her message to others considering a challenge for Autism Anglia?

“Just do it! You’re not getting any younger, and you may regret not trying. Even if skydiving is the worst three minutes of your life, it’s something you’ll never forget — and doing it for charity makes it even better.”

And how will she celebrate afterward?

“Nothing extravagant — we’re just going to McDonald’s!”

James (Dad, 39):
James is driven by the same heartfelt cause and by the pride he feels in his daughter.

“My daughter, Alicia, inspired me. It’s close to our hearts because we have autistic children, and if we can even help make a small difference, that’s more than enough.”

His advice for others thinking about fundraising for Autism Anglia:

“Jump into it. It’s a good charity to raise awareness for!”

And for James, simply raising money for a good cause is celebration enough.

Simon (Grandad, 69):
With decades of service as Suffolk’s longest-serving firefighter and thousands of emergencies behind him, Simon is no stranger to adrenaline, but skydiving brings a whole new challenge.

“It was my granddaughter’s suggestion! My initial thought? Why would anyone want to jump out of a perfectly good plane?! I’ll definitely be wearing two pairs of pants on the day!”

With two autistic grandsons, supporting Autism Anglia holds deep meaning for him:

“I would encourage anyone to raise funds for this very worthy cause.”

And once he’s safely back on solid ground?

“I’ll probably kiss the ground and then enjoy a very large gin!”

Taking the Leap Together
Alicia, James, and Simon’s skydive is more than an adrenaline‑fuelled challenge. It’s a testament to love and resilience, and to three generations standing together to support autistic people and their families across East Anglia.

If you’d like to support Alicia, James, and Simon as they take on this incredible challenge, you can visit their JustGiving page and donate at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/autsimanglia-alicia-simon-james