Parachute Challenge 2019
Friday 6th June 2019 has been an honour and pleasure for to be the organiser of this Tandem Skydive event with each Skydiver raising money for the Durham 2021 Festival. After an informal presentation held in Hartlepool Masonic Hall 10 names were put forward to take part, and so began the steady process of getting sponsors to donate towards the Festival target and a magnificent total of over £5,000 was in place as we all met nice and early at Peterlee Parachute Centre.
Our thoughts are with Angela who sustained a shoulder injury in the cycle ride just a few days previous and was unable to attend. The remaining 9 were then put through the checking in process and training, being ready to kit up at about 11am. Their jump would be from the maximum altitude, 15,000 feet giving them over a minute in free fall and then 5 minutes under the parachute before landing. Lee Harrison was selected to go early to fill a lift of Tandem Students from a previous course and I jumped with him complete with camera to record it. The jump went well and on landing Lee was keen to tell the others how brilliant it was.
In the next 2 lifts of the aircraft the remaining Durham brethren made their jumps and all were on a high after their return to terra firma , exchanging the thrills which can only be experienced by jumping yourself. John Arthur our PGM and his good lady and the Festival Director John Thompson were both in attendance to give their support to this superb effort by all involved.
On a personal and sad note I made my second jump of the day and very last skydive with 4 of our Tandem jumpers before retiring from a sport that I have been involved with since 1980. This event will be repeated next year and should you wish to take part please send your details to Michael Graham Senior. There will be a free skydive to one of the names put forward kindly donated by Peterlee Parachute Centre.
Pictures from the day have been uploaded to Flickr, click here to open the album.
A Brilliant day for all involved and the sun gods and blue skies were all in our favour.
