Conquering Fear for a Greater Cause: Ralph Hansby-Moore’s Skydiving Challenge
Ralph Hansby-Moore, a 49-year-old senior financial crime manager at Aviva, is facing his ultimate nightmare for a cause close to his heart. Despite battling a lifelong fear of heights so severe that even standing on a step stool gives him “that awful wobbly-leg feeling,” Ralph has committed to jumping out of a plane at 13,000 feet over Scotland. This extraordinary leap isn’t just about personal courage—it’s a mission to support The Salvation Army’s Pottergate ARC in Norwich, a vital drop-in center for homeless and vulnerably housed individuals. The upcoming skydive, scheduled for March 30th in Glenrothes, Scotland, represents a deeply personal journey for Ralph, whose husband Steven and a close friend both work at the center. His employer, Aviva, has pledged to match every pound donated until he reaches £1,000, amplifying the impact of his fear-defying jump.
The journey to this decision wasn’t straightforward for Ralph. When his team at Aviva first invited him to participate in a charity event in Scotland, he readily agreed—not knowing what he was getting himself into. The revelation that he’d be skydiving came as a shocking “bombshell” weeks later. “My immediate reaction was sheer panic. I felt sick,” Ralph admits, describing his fear level as “an 11 out of 10.” His instinctive response was an emphatic “Nope. Absolutely Not.” Yet something stopped him from backing out. As a leader within his organization, Ralph felt compelled to demonstrate courage and solidarity with his team. “I wanted to show courage and stand alongside my team,” he explains, “even though I still feel sick every time I think about it.” This internal struggle between overwhelming fear and commitment to leadership values illustrates the profound personal challenge this skydive represents.
What truly anchors Ralph to this terrifying commitment isn’t professional obligation, but the profound impact of the Pottergate ARC on his community. Through his husband Steven’s work there, Ralph has gained intimate knowledge of how the center provides not just practical assistance but also “dignity, compassion, and a sense of belonging for people with nowhere else to turn.” The stories he hears daily about transformative interactions at the center have become Ralph’s emotional lifeline when panic threatens to overwhelm him. “Knowing the difference ARC makes is what stops me from backing out, even when I’m terrified,” he shares with remarkable candor. This powerful motivation—supporting people who deserve to “feel safe, cared for, and human”—has transformed an abstract fundraising effort into a deeply personal mission that transcends his own comfort and safety.
Ralph’s choice of such an extreme challenge was deliberate and meaningful. He could have selected any number of less frightening fundraising activities, but he specifically chose one that would push him to his absolute limits. “If I’m asking people to donate, I want them to see that I’m truly putting myself out there—quite literally,” he explains. This philosophy reflects a profound understanding of empathy and solidarity; by willingly placing himself in a position of extreme vulnerability and fear, Ralph creates a powerful parallel to the daily struggles faced by those the ARC supports. The authenticity of his challenge—choosing “something that genuinely terrifies me”—underscores his deep commitment to the cause and gives his fundraising efforts additional emotional resonance with potential donors. It transforms a simple charity event into a profound statement about courage in the face of fear and standing up for those in need.
What makes Ralph’s story particularly compelling is that despite identifying as someone with a debilitating fear of heights, he has unknowingly confronted this fear before in less dramatic circumstances. As an avid walker who has hiked across challenging terrains in the Peak District and Lake District, Ralph has previously pushed through his fear in pursuit of experiences he values. However, he’s quick to note that “nothing compares to the scale of this challenge.” This self-awareness reveals an important truth about facing our fears—it often happens in degrees, with each step building capacity for the next. Ralph’s hiking experiences, while significant, serve as mere preparation for what he describes as his “biggest test yet.” The skydive represents a quantum leap in confronting his phobia, moving from managed exposure to complete surrender, from controlled environments to literal free-fall.
As the skydiving date approaches, Ralph has developed a powerful psychological strategy to help him follow through with the jump. Rather than focusing on the terrifying mechanics of the experience—the height, the fall, the overwhelming exposure—he has anchored his mind to the human impact of his actions. “Mentally, I’m focusing on the ‘why’—the people ARC helps. That’s what gives me strength,” he shares. This perspective shift from self to others represents the essence of compassionate action and exemplifies how connecting to a larger purpose can help overcome seemingly insurmountable personal limitations. Ralph’s journey from panic to purpose serves as an inspiring reminder that our greatest personal growth often comes when we push beyond our comfort zones in service of others. His story isn’t just about conquering a fear of heights; it’s about the heights human compassion can reach when motivated by love and community service.
