THE DAD of a young boy who is undergoing treatment for a serious eating disorder is planning to jump out of a plane this weekend to raise funds for a Ryedale charity which is supporting his family.

David Medd will be taking part in a skydive on Saturday to support Kick Rexi Out, the charity set up to provide emotional and physical support to families in the Ryedale area who are caring for a child or young adult with an eating disorder.

The 53-year-old, who lives in Malton with his partner Kerrie Donohoe, said he wanted to do something to thank Kick Rexi Out for the help they had provided since one of his twin sons was diagnosed with anorexia last November.

David said his son, Rhys, who will be 13 in July, had started to show symptoms after comments were made about his twin brother Edward at school.

"Reece has autism and takes things to heart," David said.

"He has always been picky but he started to avoid eating with us and wouldn't even eat in the same room as us for fear the fumes would make him put on weight."

With Reece's weight dropping to just five stone, he was referred to CAMHS, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, and fortunately was seen relatively quickly.

David said: "Reece is now receiving support once a week but it is still very difficult and we have to be careful what we say to him - for example, if he puts on a kilo of weight that is good news but we can't praise him because that is not what he wants to hear."

"We have been advised to keep Reece off school so while I go to work and am away from the situation for a while, Kerrie is his carer so has to cope with the full impact of what he is going through."

David said he and Kerrie had come across Kick Rexi Out earlier this year and attended a number of the charity's coffee mornings which are held at locations across Ryedale once a month.

"It has been a real eye-opener and given us both a real insight into how to deal with an eating disorder.

"It is so nice to meet up with other families in similar situations and let all your emotions out."

David said straight away he wanted to do something to raise funds for Kick Rexi Out to thank the for their support.

"I thought about a bike ride, but that is too easy and a sponsored silence would just be impossible for me so we came up with a skydive.

"I'm not nervous at the moment, although I may need to take some spare boxer shorts on the day but no matter what, I want to do this for Reece and raise as much money as I can."

Donna Foster, who lives in Nawton, set up “Kick Rexi Out” after Annie, one of her daughters was diagnosed with anorexia a couple of years ago.

The anorexia in their house became known as “Rexi” taking over Annie's thoughts and actions. Annie was eventually admitted into a specialist unit over 2.5 hrs away from home where she spent eight months in the specialist unit.

To sponsor David to to https://www.gofundme.com/f/daves-scary-sky-dive