The RailStaff Awards 2024

Sophie Nightingale

Said the following about Alexander Dey:

“Here’s why Alexander is the perfect candidate for the Charitable Person of the Year award.

Alexander has had an interest in Skydiving since he was gifted a tandem skydive for his 21st birthday. He has taken part in 240 skydives across the world, from Europe to New Zealand. Alexander would often be asked if he was skydiving for charity, but this was something that he’s never done before.

2017 saw the launch of ScotRail’s first ever staff selected charity partnership, so Alexander had the idea to ask a few of his colleagues to take part for the charity partner – MND Scotland. This simple request snowballed and before he knew it he was heading up a team of 27 people, made up of colleagues and their family and friends. They jumped from 13,000 feet and when they smashed their £4,000 target - raising just over £7,500 - Alexander decided to make this an annual event.

2018 saw him raise the stakes by arranging the jump from an airfield in Hibblestow, Scunthorpe, from 15,000 feet. This is the highest jump in Europe, giving everyone an even bigger challenge for year 2.

Alexander’s enthusiasm has certainly had a lasting effect on some of the 24 people who took part from across Scotland. One participant from Inverness had never left Scotland before or indeed set foot in an aeroplane (thanks to Alexander he has yet to land from within an aeroplane!)

A few of the participants lost over 2 stone in weight each to meet the weight requirements. One of the participants from 2017 lost over 3 stone to take part and has managed to maintain a healthy lifestyle and weight since. He even got a tattoo to commemorate the jump and the weight loss that helped him achieve it.

Alexander put everything into planning these events and even stayed with his parents the night before the jump so that his colleagues from Inverness could crash at his flat overnight.

Not only did Alexander make all the arrangements for the jump but he also organised transport to and from the airfield. The bus left Glasgow at 5:20am and returned just before midnight. A long day but everyone agreed it was worth it. Alexander arranged for the jump to take place on a Saturday because he knew the participants had a better chance of getting the day off work.

Even with slightly fewer participants the 2018 group managed to raise even more money for MND Scotland. With matched funding, the fundraising total stood at just under £13,000, and colleagues have already put their names forward for the 2019 jump. When Alexander met MND Scotland Patron HRH Princess Anne he offered her a place in the team, providing she met her sponsorship target. She laughed heartily but politely declined.

Alexander was conscious that the group could benefit from getting to know each other before the event but with the participants coming from all over the country that would prove almost impossible. So, each year he has created a closed Facebook event page to encourage fundraising ideas, sharing photos and asking each other advice. He acknowledges it was a challenge to make sure that everyone taking part had access to all the information needed but the Facebook group provided the perfect solution to this.

The skydive hasn’t been without its challenges as is to be expected with any event involving large numbers of participants. Both years Alexander has had to contend with last minute drop outs, but he keeps a waiting list so that no place goes unused.

Knowing that some people might be put off by the fundraising target, in 2018, he organised bucket collections at Partick railway station. These coincided with big football games and in just one day over £1,000 was collected and put towards the group total.

Despite nerves, everyone faced their fears and completed their jump. Alex is modest about what he has achieved “everyone loves it and that’s enough for me”, but we think he’s our high-flying superstar.“