Mum sets up school tribute to son

MARK Dare's number one passion was the thrill-seeking sport of parachute jumping.

But tragically the Shoreham man died on his 99th parachute jump at the age of 21 in France in June.

His mum, Dawn, is determined that his memory will live on by helping to set up a prize in his name at his former school, Slindon College, near Arundel, where he thrived.

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Mark, an only child, who suffered from severe dyslexia attended the independent boys school near Arundel, which has a special unit for dyslexia sufferers.

Now a cup and a certificate in his memory will be presented at the end of the school's three terms during the year to the dyslexic pupil who has achieved the most.

Mrs Dare said: "We just want something positive to come out of Mark's tragic death. He had so much to look forward and he really thrived at Slindon College. Before he went there he had been excluded from a couple of schools because of his dyslexia because he found it hard to cope but once he went to Slindon he really blossomed.

"We hope the trophy and certificate which will include a resume of Mark's life and achievements will inspire some of the pupils at the school now."

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Mark grew up in Shoreham, attending Shoreham Beach First School, Buckingham Middle School before going on to Slindon College. He did his A-levels at Brighton and Hove Sixth Form College and then started a degree course at Durham

University but found the pressures too much and dropped out for a couple of years.

Mrs Dare said: "As a dyslexic Mark found the pressures at Durham unbearable and he couldn't cope. It really knocked his confidence but eventually he was accepted onto a course to study pathology and microbiology at Bristol University, which said he could take the three-year degree over five years because of his condition.

"He had just completed his first-year and had passed all his exams and was doing great. He still loved his outdoor pursuits of parachuting and white water kayaking though.

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"He was a member of Adur Canoe Club and the Adur Outdoor Activities Centre in Shoreham."

It was on a trip with the university to France that Mark died. "He was doing a parachute jump which he loved, " said Mrs Dare. "We believe he hit the ground too fast. He was unconscious and died a day later in hospital. It was an accident but Mark loved to work and play hard. When you met Mark, he was the kind of person you remembered."

Mrs Dare is also set up a trust fund in his memory to help students at Bristol University.

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