South Gloucestershire Council

Published: 09/09/2014

Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council Cllr Howard Gawler plunged 10,000 feet from a plane on Sunday 7 September to raise money for charity.

Cllr Gawler took part in a tandem skydive to raise funds for the South Gloucestershire based Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC), one of his chosen Chair’s charities for the year. He has now raised almost £2,000 in total, 50 per cent of his target for the year, the majority of which is thanks to this parachute jump.

The tandem skydive saw the Chairman free-falling through the air (without the parachute deployed) for 5,000 feet at around 120 mph, before safely parachuting to the ground. Cllr Gawler was harnessed to a professional parachute instructor throughout the descent and his niece Sarah Farthing (from Wick, South Gloucestershire) also took part.

Cllr Gawler said: “The skydive was a fantastic experience! I must admit I did get rather nervous as the plane began circling before our jump, but as soon as we were falling through the air it was far too thrilling to feel any fear.

“The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity doesn’t receive any government or National Lottery funding, which means they rely entirely on the generosity of local people to continue operating. There is still time to pledge some money to this worthy cause, so please visit the dedicated Just Giving page below to make a donation.”

To make a donation please visit the Chair’s Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/ChairsCharity2014

The skydive took place at Redlands Airfield, Redlands Farm, Wanborough, near Swindon.