Guest Blog from Community & Events Manager, Hilary Long (pictured in white helmet, mid 1980s).

Have you ever thought of parachuting or skydiving? I do all the time especially when the sky is blue! In my youth I was an avid skydiver and even now thirty years later on a blue-sky day, the distant drone of a light aircraft above me sets off a burst of adrenaline and many happy memories.

Taking to the skies is a popular way to raise money for charity. In fact, that is how I started. One jump for charity led to 139!

Aaron is due to jump for Genesis this year: “For my 21st birthday I was gifted a skydiving experience. I am terrified of the idea of jumping out of a plane at 7,000 feet so I have decided to use this as an opportunity to raise some money for a good cause and get me out that plane.”

There are several options for charity parachute jumps and skydives. A tandem skydive is the most popular charity jump. After just 30 mins of training you jump out strapped to an instructor from 10,000 – 15,000 feet and experience the thrill of free fall.

Then there is the static line jump. Here you would complete a minimum of 6 hours ground training and then jump either the same or following day weather permitting. You jump solo from a height of approximately 3,500 feet and your parachute deploys automatically.

And for the most adventurous you can launch straight into what is called Accelerated Free Fall (AFF). Here you complete a minimum of 6 hours training and then jump with 2 instructors from 12,000 – 15,000 feet. You are freefalling for 45 seconds – 1 minute and then deploy your canopy at 6,000 feet under the supervision of your instructors.

If you want to find out more about skydiving for Charity these are some companies that organise jumps nearest to Bath:

https://www.ukskydivingadventures.com/

https://www.goskydive.com/genesis-trust-bath/

https://www.netheravon.com/tandem/charity-skydiving/

Or if skydiving is not your thing, why not check out our challenge events page for more fundraising ideas?