Jenny and Dan take to the skies for Lancashire Mind

Why did you want to do it?

Jenny: I’ve wanted to do a skydive for as long as I can remember, but just never got around to it. When I turned 40 last year – and I know this sounds a bit of a cliché – I decided it was time to start doing all the things on the bucket list that I’ve kept putting off. A skydive was top of the list.

Dan: Sky diving has always had a place on my bucket list too but seeing as it’s cushioned just between owning a Ferrari and watching Preston North End in the Premier League, it was firmly lodged in the pipedream section.

While it’s something I’d always fancied doing in theory, it seemed like it would always be a ‘one day’ idea and that day wouldn’t come. Well, when Lancashire Mind needed people to skydive in their name, ‘one day’ became ‘in May’.

What’s your connection to Lancashire Mind?

Jenny: I’ve never had a reason to use mental health services, but I’m fully aware of how important the work of Lancashire Mind is, especially after the challenges we all faced during the pandemic.

The statistics around Lancashire Mind’s funding being cut, yet the number of people needing its services increasing, really hit home with me.

Dan: Lancashire Mind seemed like the appropriate charity to raise money for when the main challenge of the skydive was overcoming that mental barrier of willingly falling from 11,000ft.

Everyone’s barrier in life is different, and some people never figure out how to get over theirs. Taking that leap was my barrier and I wanted to face that challenge for a charity that supports people who often can’t even face getting out of bed.

Talk us through the day…

Before the jump…

Jenny: I arrived at 10am to glorious sunshine – the best day we’d had all year, so perfect for a skydive! I checked in and then went to introduce myself to Emma from Lancashire Mind and meet some of the other jumpers where everyone had congregated on picnic benches overlooking the airfield.

One of the guys in our group had used the skydive as incentive to lose weight, another had won the chance to jump by having his name picked out of a hat at work and said this was also his first time in a plane. I also chatted to James from Lancashire Mind who told me how he loves his work going into schools to promote mental wellbeing.

Dan: In the build-up to the day, I was only excited. My only concern about the sky dive was raising as much money as possible, everything else – including the jump – seemed immaterial.

On reflection it’s apparent that I hadn’t fully understood what I was set to do – can you ever really comprehend that you’re going to freefall from a plane? When the day arrived, I went for a run to avoid waiting around and allowing the anticipation to build.

Upon arrival I signed in, weighed in and the wait began.

The video they showed as part of our safety briefing, depicting the moment of exit from the plane, was the first time it felt real. Watching it left that feeling in my stomach that I’d only felt during a drop on a roller coaster.

There was a three hour wait between the briefing and the jump, which was comfortably the worst part.

Jenny: I had a few hours to wait as well, but that gave me chance to watch others going up, the small plane constantly taking off and landing with the next group of jumpers – some in tandem, some solo.

Finally, my name was called and I went to meet the guy I’d be attached to, Mark, who took me to a small hangar building to put on a red jumpsuit and be talked through what would happen.

I was attached to a harness on the ceiling and had to show I could get into freefall and landing position (legs up behind me for freefalling and straight out in front of me in a sitting position for landing). Mark also talked me through the hand signals he’d use while we were in the air to instruct me to do something. And then it was almost time…!

Dan: Every 20 minutes names were called over the PA system, and with each passing announcement, the anticipation grew and so did the nerves.

I hadn’t been nervous, only excited to tick something off my bucket list, but when my name was called, the nerves went – it felt like the ‘showtime’ moment.

I met my instructor, cracked wise with him a little and he kitted me out as we went through the safety checks. I was excited with an undertone of nerves. Waiting to get in the plane felt like waiting at the top of the stairs on Christmas morning.

Flying up ready to jump…

Jenny: The plane climbed up and, because the weather was so amazing, the sky was clear and we could see for miles, flying over Blackpool and looking down at the tower and piers. We then came to the point we’d dive from and the door was rolled up as we hovered.

Now, I’ve always wanted to do this and I’d felt chilled out and excited all morning, but, at this point, I did have a slight pang of ‘oh my word, I’m really doing this!’. But there was no time to think about that any further. The first jumper and his instructor shuffled to the edge of the plane and then they were gone, and it was my turn to sit on the edge, no time to wait, looking down at 11,000ft of sky below me, arching my back and holding on to my harness as I’d been instructed as Mark rolled us off the plane and into freefall.

Dan: The entire flight up I had that same feeling. I had to keep checking myself to ensure I was taking it all in. I had to keep checking I was present because it simply didn’t feel real.

As we reached 11,643ft the door opened, and people began to jump. I was second-to-last and my friend was just before me. It didn’t feel real until he took the leap in front of my eyes, and I was next.

There’s no time to change your mind. As soon as you’re sat at the door, you’re falling to the ground. No anticipation – it’s happening.

The leap of faith…

Jenny: Falling off the side of a plane was like nothing else I’ve ever experienced – scary and exhilarating, and a little bit surreal, all at the same time. The air in my face took my breath away at first and then I quickly worked out how to breathe normally against the gusts!

Freefalling at 11,000ft was absolutely mind-blowing! Looking down at the patchwork of tiny fields beneath us, seeing the blue sea in the distance and the line of sand snaking along the coast – it felt like such a privilege to see the world from this angle. After about 30 seconds, Mark pulled the chute and we jerked up to float down for another four or five minutes.

Dan: With that fall comes the most incredible rush I’ve ever felt. It’s like ridding yourself of all your worries in an instant.

It is the most present I have ever felt in any moment because there’s simply no room in your brain to think about anything other than the fact that you are falling from the sky.

That was easily the best part about it. Any worries or stress I had felt that day, or throughout the week, or the year, gone.

Jenny: Looking back, I still can’t believe I’ve done it and it’s made me want to do it all over again. There’s nothing quite like it and I don’t think I’ve quite come back down to earth yet! I’m also so grateful to everyone who kindly sponsored me, which absolutely blew me away in the lead-up.

What would you say to someone considering a skydive for charity?

Dan: Doing it for Lancashire Mind made absolute sense, in that moment more than any. I had overcome that mental battle and, for a fleeting moment, relieved myself of all worries.

Lancashire Mind aim to help ease the load for people, and they certainly did that for me by being my push to do the skydive.

I would encourage everybody who is physically able to skydive to do it. It is the single greatest thing I have ever done, and it certainly won’t be the last time I do it.

Jenny: Freefalling was such a rush, the views were fantastic and the time I got up there to take it all in was something I’ll always remember. I also think the pride I felt as we rolled off the plane and I realised I was doing it – and that we were all raising vital funds for a fantastic cause – was something I’ll take with me.

Make sure you take it all in and enjoy every minute because it’s such a privilege to do. The instructors are all massively experienced and put you at ease straight away. If you ever get the opportunity, just go for it.