Jumping To Raise Funds

Chris Hayes from Featherstone Lodge 7851 in Uxbridge and his wife Lisa took the challenge on 23^rd September 2019. Neither of them had previously taken part in a parachute jump before and it was a bucket list activity for the pair. “We decided to complete tandem jumps, so would be attached to an experienced parachutist – well, we hoped so!”

For the past few years, the Featherstone Lodge has been raising funds for PCR, and once again they have chosen to do so this year. So far, Chris and Lisa have raised just over £600.

“We arrived at the airfield in Beccles, Norfolk in a very cloudy morning. We were due to jump at midday but arrived around 11.00am. The first group still had not jumped due to the low clouds. So, breakfast it was. At about 11.45 it was decided that the first group could go up and they parachuted through the clouds! Within half an hour the clouds started to break up and it was our turn to get ready.”

“So, off we went to the plane. Sat on benches, we took off and started our gradual climb to 12,000 feet. Looking out the window, it did look a long way down – actually, it WAS a long way down! The thoughts going through our heads were that in a minute we’d be jumping out of this plane – why?!

The red light came on and the door opened. The green light came on and it was time. We edged to the doorway on our bottoms and there we were looking down. In my mind, when I fell out of the plane, I was expecting to leave my stomach behind and fall like a brick! It wasn’t like that at all. Yes, we were falling, but it felt so gentle, on a cushion of air. Within a couple of seconds, I was told to put my arms out and we were in freefall for about 50 seconds before the parachute opened.

What a view we had! Not only over the countryside, but also out to sea. Once the parachute opened, it was a gentle glide down for about 5 minutes. It was so peaceful up there surveying the surroundings. Then it came to landing. Feet up and we landed on our bottoms, with a little skid!”

“What a great experience. We can highly recommend giving it a go if you have even half thought about it. We did not find it as scary as my mind thought it would be!”

Thank you so much to everyone that donated to PCR on Chris and Lisa’s behalf.