Ashton Gate Stadium sees charity volunteer abseil 75ft while battling cancer
On Sunday 3 May 2026, charity volunteer Andrew Gibson will be attempting a 75ft abseil from the roof of Ashton Gate Stadium to raise money for Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC).
Despite struggling with stage four prostate and bone cancer, Andrew is determined to dare the drop for the charity he loves alongside a group of his closest friends and two members of GWAAC’s crew.
Andrew says: “As a volunteer and supporter of the charity, I am proud to contribute in any way I can and to take part in fundraising initiatives that help sustain this vital service. GWAAC represents the very best of community spirit, combining exceptional people with lifesaving skills and equipment, to deliver critical care when it matters most.”
Andrew Gibson
Andrew abseiling from the Police Tower in 2025
Andrew has spent his career helping others in the ambulance service and the military, and now volunteers for GWAAC assisting with health and safety tasks to enable the crew to do their frontline work. Andrew supports several charities that are close to his heart. On 19 December 2025, he slept outside on Chipping Sodbury High Street to raise funds for homeless veterans at the Royal British Veterans Enterprise. Two days later, he joined the Horton Tractor Festive Evening Run dressed as the Grinch to fundraise for GWAAC.
GWAAC Events Coordinator Charlie Rowen says, “Andrew is an inspiration. Everyone at GWAAC feels very privileged that he has even considered attempting the abseil to help raise funds for our lifesaving service.” She continues, “It would be wonderful if others are inspired by his bravery and consider signing up too. It’s a really fun event and we’re hoping to raise £20,000 which could fund nearly ten missions to help local people who need lifesaving pre-hospital care.”
Join Andrew and experience Ashton Gate Stadium like never before
There are still places left, but you will need to move fast.
If you choose to dare the drop, you’ll start by ascending through the stands and onto the roof of the Dolman Stand before dropping beside the pitch below. All the money raised will go towards keeping GWAAC’s lifesaving critical care and air ambulance service operational across Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, and parts of Wiltshire.
It’s easy to sign-up with two registration options. For more information about the event go to www.gwaac.com/dare-the-drop
Andrew is hoping to raise vital funds for GWAAC and he’s encouraging others to do the same: “Events like this demonstrate the incredible power of community support. Quite simply, GWAAC is built on its people and its lifesaving skills and equipment—and the charity cannot continue its mission without your generosity. Thank you.”
In 2025 GWAAC experienced its busiest year on record with 2,344 people in urgent need of pre-hospital medical care. GWAAC’s crew were called to help 668 people in Bristol (28% of all call-outs), making it the second busiest region for the charity and the second year running that GWAAC was tasked to over 600 people in the city.
For further information, please contact: Charlie Rowen 0303 4444 999 / Charlie.rowen@gwaac.com
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