Over the ledge to help foster kids

Nathan Street loves abseiling down buildings. Picture: Damjan Janevski

Abseiling down a 27-storey building might strike fear in the hearts of some, but Nathan Street is more than up to the challenge.

The 36-year-old Wyndham Vale resident has been a keen abseiler for the past decade and will put his expertise to the test next month when he descends the 113-metre St James building in Melbourne’s CBD as part of the Altitude Shift challenge.

Altitude Shift is an annual Anglicare Victoria fundraiser that supports children in foster care.

Participants raise a minimum of $850 to secure their spot in the event.

It’s the third time Mr Street, who said he relishes the opportunity to abseil down a tall building, has taken on the challenge.

Mr Street, who is part of the Scouts Victoria abseiling team and also involved in Wyndham SES, will take the unusual approach of abseiling forwards down the building, rather than the standard practice of abseiling with your back to the ground.

“I love it, it’s great,” he said. “Yes, I’m doing it so I can jump off a building, but at the same time, help foster kids. Once people find out why you’re doing it, they become very receptive and generally will help out.

“Being part of scouting, I’m always around youths, and other groups I’ve been part of in the past have had a lot of foster kids in them.

“I have had some exposure to foster children and the challenges that they face – it’s a combination of a cause I feel pretty strongly about and something I’m really interested in doing.”

Donate at: altitudeshift.everydayhero.com/au/nate