JAMIE’S CHARITY SKYDIVE FUND-RAISING QUEST REACHES UNEXPECTED HEIGHTS

Destiny was fulfilled as the unseasonal July weather relented just in time to allow KBS Corporate’s Jamie Smyth to skydive in aid of the British Heart Foundation charity.

Jamie, KBS data administrator, had planned the thrilling experience to raise funds for the charity following the passing of his father, Michael, from a cardiac arrest at the age of 56 in August 2022.

Along with his mother, Amanda, Jamie was booked in for the skydive on July 24th – the day after what turned out to be one of the wettest weekends for some time in the north of England.

There were a few concerns the jump would have to be postponed – which would have been less than ideal when you have psyched yourself up! However, out came the sun and the intrepid duo were able to take on their challenge with the help of the Black Knights Skydiving Centre in Lancaster.

And, most importantly, Jamie and Amanda have smashed their charity target of raising £500 for the British Heart Foundation, with the running total being well over £800 at the time of writing.

Jamie told the story of the day:

“The Sunday had been a horrible day for weather. There was no jump that day and we could see why. We didn’t trust the weather reports for Monday and were very worried we wouldn’t be able to do it that day. To our amazement, Monday was a beautiful day. My mum described it as being like the world knew what we were doing that day and that it was for a cause close to our hearts.

“Neither my mum nor I were nervous. It was something we had wanted to do for a while and knowing we were doing it for charity, along with how much we had raised, motivated us to stick it through to the end. The main emotion was excitement, especially in the plane. Watching the ground get further and further away cemented our fate and the excitement rose alongside the plane.”

And as for the exhilaration of the jump itself…

“I’m not sure how I can explain it. It really is something you have to do yourself to know the true feelings you experience.

“The initial freefall was the best part. Falling at a rapid rate, being able to see as far as your eye could see due to the clear day, it was all amazing. The wind really gets in your face and hair, it feels very calming. Parachuting down leaves you with absolutely nothing to worry about. It’s the first time in my life I’ve truly been left without a care in the world, just focusing on the world around me. When we landed, we couldn’t believe what we had just done. The adrenalin was high and it was one of those ‘did that really just happen?’ moments.

“The sense of achievement afterwards was immense. We were both proud of ourselves and each other. We felt like we had accomplished something massive by following through on our promise to those who donated. The day as a whole went extremely smoothly and it was all over quicker than we both thought.

“I can’t recommend skydiving enough. My mum and I agree it’s the best thing we’ve ever done. All I can say is do it. Cast your fears aside and get in the plane. Once you’re falling, that’s it, you’ve done it. Take a deep breath, take in the view and relax. Reading about what it’s like doesn’t do it justice. It really is nothing like anything you’ve ever experienced.”

And, of course, the feeling of satisfaction is compounded greatly by the amount raised for charity, about which Jamie added: “I’m over the moon. My mum is overwhelmed. We cannot thank everyone enough for donating. The taxi driver even knocked £5 off our fare and told us to add it to the donations!

“When we set a goal of £500, we never expected to hit that. To see that number almost doubled is fantastic. Any amount, no matter how large or little, helps. I think that’s now reinforced by looking at the JustGiving page. We cannot express our gratitude enough – seeing everyone come together and raise that much has left us speechless. We hope the BHF can use this to further us all to a future with more noticeable, treatable and curable heart conditions.”

If you would like to support the British Heart Foundation, you can do so via Jamie and Amanda’s Just Giving page: Amanda Edwards is fundraising for British Heart Foundation (justgiving.com)