Bear Defies Gravity for BLESMA

So there I was, minding my own business, sunning myself on a sofa when I was rudely snatched up, stuffed in a plastic bag and abandoned at the Post Office again!!

Two days later I emerged into the Leicestershire sunshine and the welcoming arms of my latest Bearer. After a little cup of tea and a honey sandwich, I discovered that my latest mission was a tandem skydive!! Happy days ... I'm never happier than when I'm plummeting earthwards at terminal velocity!! This would, after all be my 14th jump!

My Bearer was frantically chasing people up, bullying, cajoling and eventually mugging unsuspecting pensioners outside the local Co-op to get more sponsorship for BLESMA. For those not overly familiar, BLESMA (British Limbless Ex-Servicemens Association) support veterans with missing limbs or sight from ALL of the conflicts of the last 60 years or so.

Click here for more information on BLESMA

Finally it was time......we set off on Thursday 27th May for Worthy Down to spend the night with the AGC prior to the jump. I'd LOVE to say I had a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast, but 3 in a bed, one of whom smells a bit (NOT my Bearer) is not conducive to restful slumber. AND said smelly snorer had failed to purchase milk, so my poor bearer had to rouse herself at silly o'clock without her customary bucket of tea.......poor love!!

Luckily, the lovely boys and girls at Netheravon Red Devils Skydive Centre have a splendid canteen supplying bacon butties and buckets of tea, so the Bearer's good humour was soon restored!

On arrival at the centre, my thoroughly over-excited Bearer booked in and did all her paperwork, whilst I took in the familiar sights and smells of a sky-dive centre (not all of those smells being pleasant given the nature of fear!) Soon she was summoned into the hangar for a briefing, which of course I accompanied her to.....moral support, experience and all that. I'm not going to mention names for PERSEC purposes, so I shall call the instructor ‘Fozzy'. He went through the harness and the parachute rig, explaining what all the bits were for and reassuring all those jumping of the 2,000lb breaking strain of the karabiners attaching the tandemees to their instructors. At this point, my Bearer was gripping my paw painfully tightly, she assures me in excitement.

The trainees were then put through the positions and signals they'd need during the ‘flight' whilst lying on the floor. Fairly entertaining to watch.

At last, the moment arrived for my Bearer to get suited up and strapped into her rig. All the jumpers wore red suits, which looked very dashing. I'm afraid the same can't be said of the hats....the Bearer looked like a big red shuttlecock! Once strapped in, the instructor assigned to each jumper went over the gear with absolutely meticulous care ( I paid close attention, making sure my Bearer was safe) checking the fit, adjusting it minutely to ensure the safety and comfort for the jumper....my Bearer was most impressed with her assigned partner, known here only as Phil!

Once the instructor was happy, we all moved out to the runway. At this point I was cosily tucked into my bearers jumpsuit where I found it lovely and warm and soft and ... nice!

We had to wait a short time for the aircraft to fly in from Bournemouth, but after a few minutes it was time to board. I kept expecting my Bearer to get scared, luckily she was far too excited to be frightened and couldn't wait to get started. Everyone was soon settled in the ‘Flying Caravan' and we were off. A short circling flight took us to 13,000 feet, the view from the window was stunning. It was a gorgeous day, bright blue sky and little puffy clouds ... perfect! There was lots of joking in the aircraft, especially when the door had to be opened repeatedly. Apparently, wind is an occupational hazard....and someone on the staff had been eating curry.

After what seemed like seconds, the door was opened and Phil started giving last minute instructions. His reassuring demeanour transmitted itself to my Bearer and she calmly shuffled to the door, taking in the view as she did so. Assuming the position taught on the ground, head back, ankles crossed tucked under the plane, back arched.....Phil swung them forward and we were off and falling!

Aaah ... the wind whistling through my fur ... how I love it!

My Bearer tells me she was quite unprepared for the cold at that height, and couldn't get her breath for a few seconds as she took it all in! Freefall lasted for about 20 seconds, Phil swinging this way and that to get all around views. It was beautiful, up above the clouds.

All too soon it was time to deploy the chute, rapid deceleration (not the sudden shoot upwards that it appears...that's the cameraman continuing his fall) and then blissful quiet, and the chance to really take it all in.

Phil let my Bearer take control of the chute, so we rocked from side to side and did a few spirals for fun, before making a slightly ‘bumwards' landing in the tall grass. At this point my Bearer got very wobbly knees and an attack of the giggles, but after a disapproving look from me that said ‘this is NOT how a Para behaves' she soon settled and helped Phil carry the canopy indoors

My Bearer would like to say at this point, a HUGE thank-you to all her sponsors, and to the Red Devils team for the opportunity of a lifetime!!!

[Ed: And the folks at holidays4heroes and all the Bears at Sgt Slingsby say thank you for your work for BLESMA, and another thank you for increasing Sgt Hotspur's jump-count! Sgt Hotspur assures us it was his warmest and most comfortable jump to date!!]