Gloucester PCSOs Jump From Plane To Help Children

Three PCSOs from Gloucester have jumped out of a plane to raise over £1000 for a children's charity in Barnwood.

PCSOs Kate Beck and Charlotte Simmons from the Hucclecote SCT and PCSO Asha Patel from the Matson, Linden and Robinswood SCT have close links with the James Hopkins Trust which provides practical help for severely disabled, life threatened and life limited young children from Gloucestershire.

Having decided to take part in the fundraising sky dive, the PCSOs got up very early on the morning of Saturday October 3 to travel to the home of the army parachute association in Wiltshire.

Arriving at the centre, the PCSOs were excited but nervous and signed the appropriate forms with very wobbly hands.

PCSO Kate Beck said: "At one point we all looked at each other and wondered whether we were really going to do this but we knew we had to as we didn't want to let the kids at the James Hopkins Trust down."

  After they had all psyched themselves up, they were told the jump had to be cancelled due to bad weather conditions.

The group decided they would get up at 5.30am the following day to try again.

This time it was successful and by 9.30am they were up in the air climbing to 13,000ft ready to throw themselves out of the plane strapped to an instructor.

Speaking after the jump PCSO Kate Beck said: "This was the first time that any of us had carried out a skydive.

"We were all incredibly nervous in the run up to the jump and our stomachs were firmly positioned in our mouths.

"The jump itself was totally amazing and we all just wanted to pick ourselves up and do it again.

"We met with the staff at the James Hopkins Trust yesterday to hand over a cheque for £1344 which we had raised through sponsorship.

"Hopefully we will have the opportunity to carry out further fundraising activities for the fund in the future. They are looking to build an extension so that they can offer overnight respite, this is likely to cost around £250,000."

Penni Sharpe, community fundraiser for the James Hopkins Trust, said: "In total we had 15 jumpers who took part in this fundraising event which raised £5900, it is great that so many have come together to do this as a team and raise so much for such a worthy cause.

"We are particularly grateful for the support of our local PCSOs. They helped with this event and also with donations for our recent annual auction.

"It was such a successful fundraising exercise that I hope to organise a second group parachute jump in May this year."

http://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/item3926.html

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