28 May Vertical Courage: The Day Nick Leventis Abseiled The Shard for Charity
There are people who race cars at 200mph for a living and consider that enough of a thrill. Nick Leventis is not one of those people.
Long before Uprising Foundation existed — long before Nazaré, before the orphanage in Ukraine, before everything the Foundation has become — there was a pattern already forming. A man who consistently chose to do the hard, uncomfortable, exposed thing, not for himself, but for others.
The Shard abseil is one of the clearest expressions of that pattern.
250 Metres. Straight Down.
On the 3rd of September 2012, Nick Leventis descended 250 metres — 820 feet — down the outside of The Shard in London. At the time, it was the tallest building in Western Europe, designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and not yet open to the public. Nick was one of only 40 people selected to make the descent, in the company of Prince Andrew, mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington, and other figures chosen for the occasion.
For Nick, it wasn’t just another adrenaline hit. It was deliberately chosen as a vehicle for fundraising — raising money for two causes: the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund, supporting active and retired soldiers, and The Outward Bound Trust, an educational charity dedicated to developing young people through challenging outdoor experiences.
Before stepping off the edge, he trained with Britain’s Royal Navy Commando unit, the Royal Marines themselves — a preparation that speaks both to the seriousness of the undertaking and to Nick’s characteristic commitment to doing things properly.
“One of the most incredible experiences of my life,” he said afterwards. “You can’t really put into words the feelings when you come out at the top — the panoramic views of London are quite simply amazing. The worst bit was definitely the first few seconds when you go over the edge. It’s a real heart-stopping moment.”
Not the First Time. Not the Last.
The Shard was not Nick’s introduction to using extreme physical feats for charitable purpose. Two years earlier, in 2010 — the same year his Strakka Racing team won the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans — he completed a tandem skydive from 30,000 feet above Mount Everest, setting a Himalayan altitude record in the process. That jump raised £100,000 for the Global Angels Foundation, funding food, clothing, and education for refugee children and orphans in Mae Sot, Thailand, including former child soldiers.
The through-line is consistent: extreme environments, real stakes, and the proceeds going to children and communities who needed it most.
It is, in retrospect, the clearest early blueprint for what Uprising would become.
From The Shard to the Foundation
When Nick reflects on what led him to co-found Uprising Foundation with Olga, he talks about the moment his racing career ended and something shifted — from a focus entirely on personal performance to a focus on what that performance could do for others.
“Before, it was all about me being good in one specific area,” he has said. “Now it’s about rounding out who I am as a person. I’m starting to realise I can turn my hobby and my passion into my purpose.”
The Shard abseil, the Everest skydive, the Foundation work in Ukraine, the Surf Lab in Nazaré — they are all expressions of the same conviction: that the capacity to face fear and discomfort is most valuable when it’s pointed outward.
That is what Uprising was built to teach. And Nick has been living it longer than the Foundation has had a name.
Uprising Foundation supports vulnerable children and young athletes through sports, mentorship, and direct community investment. To follow our work or get involved, visit uprisingfoundation.com.
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