Remember A Charity Week: Stuntman sets new world record

Thursday 15 September 2011

Rocky Taylor is supporting the campaign to encourage people to remember a charity in their will

Mencap is part of the Remember A Charity campaign. During Remember A Charity Week (12-18 September), the 150 charities that are part of the campaign are encouraging people to leave a gift to charity in their will. Even a 4% growth in legacy giving could raise an extra £1 billion for UK charities.

This year, stuntman Rocky Taylor is performing stunts in support of Remember A Charity Week. Rocky has a career spanning 40 years and has appeared in nearly 150 films including Titanic, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter and Pirates of The Caribbean.

On 2 August, he successfully recreated a stunt from the film Death Wish 3, which nearly killed him in 1985. And on 14 September, he broke the world record for the largest breakaway glass structure smashed by a car.

The record was previously set during the filming of Die Another Day. To break it, Rocky drove a car up a ramp and jumped it through a 6m by 4m sheet of glass at the O2 Arena, in London.

Rocky said: “As a stuntman who has faced danger throughout my career, I know the importance of writing a will. Like everyone else, my family and friends will always come first, but I think it would be great if more people choose to leave a little of what’s left to their favourite charity.”

Sarah Dalling, Mencap’s legacy marketing manager, said: “Once friends and family have been provided for, a gift left in a will, no matter how big or small is a wonderful way for people to support their favourite charity long into the future.

“More than half of voluntary donations to Mencap come from people who have left a gift in their will. Without this support, we couldn’t afford to run the Learning Disability helpline, which supports thousands of people with a learning disability, their families and carers every year. Every gift makes a real difference.”

Find out more about Remember A Charity Week and watch Rocky in action

Find out more about leaving a gift to Mencap, or call Mencap’s legacy team on 020 7696 5615