Charity skydive by dad and son

5:29pm Friday 27th June 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

A FATHER and son have raised more than £15,000 for wounded soldiers following a sponsored tandem parachute jump.

Retired captain Peter Dickson-Morgan, aged 71, of Newnham Bridge, Tenbury Wells, and his son Guy made the parachute jump in aid of Help for Heroes – a charity which is raising money for a rehabilitation centre at Headley Court, Surrey.

Mr Dickson-Morgan junior, aged 40, and now of Burford, Shropshire, said: “We felt that our servicemen and women need all the support they can get – they do a job most of us wouldn’t want to do and put their lives in danger every day.

“The least we can do is help them in some small way when they get injured and Help for Heroes seemed the best way.

“We also have a family connection with the centre as my father spent several weeks at Headley Court in the mid 60s while in the Army.”

The pair sent more than 600 letters to family, friends, and local businesses asking for donations before they eventually made the parachute jump with the Silver Stars Parachute Team from the Duke of Gloucester Barracks at South Cerney, Gloucestershire.

Talking about the experience afterwards Mr Dickson-Morgan senior said: “Through 30 years of professional flying, civil and military, I have always made it a principle never to leave an aircraft unless it was on the ground and stationary – preferably with the engines shut down – so this was very much a one-off event.”

Mr Dickson-Morgan jnr, however, was up for for doing it all over again. “It was the most heart thumping moment of my life sitting on the edge of an aircraft at 12,000 feet,” he said.

“But falling at 120mph is exhilarating and doing it for such a good cause made the fear more than worthwhile. Mad though it may sound, I’d love to do it again.”

The pair said they are hoping to raise £18,000 in total. To make a donation call 01584 781412 or visit justgiving.com/guydicksonmorgan.

For more information on Help for Heroes, log on to helpforheroes.org.uk.