Ellie Mans will celebrate her 18th birthday by freefalling from the sky in the name of providing opportunities for girls in Dorset and Hampshire, as well as raising money for health and wellbeing charity Will Does.
With the two causes close to Ellie’s heart, she is aiming to raise over £1500, with 50% of the proceeds going to Dorset Girls’ Golf to ensure there are opportunities for girls to get into golf and develop their game, while the other 50% will go to Will Does charity.
Will Does, set up in memory of 14-year-old William Paddy, aims to introduce young people to sports and other activities to help them connect and engage socially, and develop coping mechanisms to help manage anxiety and emotions.
Dorset Junior Captain and South West England squad member Ellie got into golf when she was just six-years-old through her local club running Saturday morning sessions.
Ellie, who is a member at Dudsbury Golf club, said: “The biggest attraction back then was the chance to win a chocolate bar at the end of the putting competition and that’s still a thing today. I’ve seen more and more girls attending these Saturday morning sessions and I’m very excited to see them start competing.
“Golf clubs are male-dominated and I want to help provide more support for junior girls and women, particularly in playing with other girls at grassroots level because the whole experience of learning golf becomes more enjoyable. To help these girls, I think it’s vital that there are experienced role models for them to learn from on and off the course.”
With the money Ellie is raising being split between Dorset Girls’ Golf and Will Does, she explained: “Half the money will pay for training sessions, equipment and uniform for the county girls while the other half will go to the Will Does charity which supports young people and their mental health.
“For many, golf is a great way to socialise and exercise with friends and, for me, a catharsis to release frustration, especially on the driving range when you can whack a driver!
“However, as you progress to higher levels in golf, anxiety and nerves become a familiar feeling as golf is a very psychological sport. Through my golf journey, I have experienced anger, frustration, anxiety and many, many tears as I’m a very competitive person. That’s helped me develop as a person and these many situations in golf reflect life, so I now know how to handle winning, losing and pressurised circumstances.”
Asked about why she chose to do a skydive, Ellie added: “I wanted to make my 18th birthday memorable, and my dad was an airborne soldier so this should come naturally to me!”
You can support Ellie's fundraising by clicking here. To find out more about getting into golf, visit englandgolf.org.
Will Does, set up in memory of 14-year-old William Paddy, aims to introduce young people to sports and other activities to help them connect and engage socially, and develop coping mechanisms to help manage anxiety and emotions.
Dorset Junior Captain and South West England squad member Ellie got into golf when she was just six-years-old through her local club running Saturday morning sessions.
Ellie, who is a member at Dudsbury Golf club, said: “The biggest attraction back then was the chance to win a chocolate bar at the end of the putting competition and that’s still a thing today. I’ve seen more and more girls attending these Saturday morning sessions and I’m very excited to see them start competing.
“Golf clubs are male-dominated and I want to help provide more support for junior girls and women, particularly in playing with other girls at grassroots level because the whole experience of learning golf becomes more enjoyable. To help these girls, I think it’s vital that there are experienced role models for them to learn from on and off the course.”
With the money Ellie is raising being split between Dorset Girls’ Golf and Will Does, she explained: “Half the money will pay for training sessions, equipment and uniform for the county girls while the other half will go to the Will Does charity which supports young people and their mental health.
“For many, golf is a great way to socialise and exercise with friends and, for me, a catharsis to release frustration, especially on the driving range when you can whack a driver!
“However, as you progress to higher levels in golf, anxiety and nerves become a familiar feeling as golf is a very psychological sport. Through my golf journey, I have experienced anger, frustration, anxiety and many, many tears as I’m a very competitive person. That’s helped me develop as a person and these many situations in golf reflect life, so I now know how to handle winning, losing and pressurised circumstances.”
Asked about why she chose to do a skydive, Ellie added: “I wanted to make my 18th birthday memorable, and my dad was an airborne soldier so this should come naturally to me!”
You can support Ellie's fundraising by clicking here. To find out more about getting into golf, visit englandgolf.org.
Note to editors: About England Golf
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Contact details:
Tom Vale, Press & Media Manager
Tel: 07912 240850
Email: pr@englandgolf.org
www.englandgolf.org
Tom Vale, Press & Media Manager
Tel: 07912 240850
Email: pr@englandgolf.org
www.englandgolf.org