MORE than 20 brave fundraisers abseiled down a Thornbury church tower in aid of a leading brain tumour charity.

Hammer Out ran its second annual abseil down the St Mary’s bell tower on Saturday, March 15.

Tina Mitchell Skinner launched the charity after her husband Paul died of a brain tumour in 2003.

The charity abseil – conceived last year to mark the charity’s milestone 10th anniversary – proved popular once more, with 21 people braving the dizzying heights of the tower.

Charity development manager Helen Silverthorn said the event had gone really well with extra people turning up on the day to participate.

“It’s a lovely church,” she said. “It’s absolutely beautiful. There was quite a nice little atmosphere with lots of family and friends down and the church put on bacon rolls and cakes.”

One couple traversing down the bell tower had a very special relationship with St Mary’s.

Ms Silverthorn said: “We actually had two people that were married at the church 25 years ago that both went down the tower.”

Staff are currently collecting donations from the fundraisers, so don’t yet know how much they’ve raised.

They are also busy preparing for an important development at the end of the month, which will see a full rebrand for the charity.

Hammer Out will become known as Brain Tumour Support, with the strap line ‘Together we are stronger.’

The rebrand is to more clearly communicate what the charity stands for and allow patients, families, supporters and fundraisers to find them more easily.

The charity’s work will remain the same, seeking to lead the way in supporting those affected by brain tumours, providing information and raising awareness and extending the reach of the help available.

Brain Tumour Support’s new name and logo will officially be adopted on Monday, March 31, the final day of Brain Tumour Awareness Month.