Archbishop of York Skydives for Charity

The current Archbishop of York is a rather savvy fellow when it comes to getting media attention for various causes. He lived in a tent in York Minster for a week once to encourage Middle East peace. His latest endeavor was a tandem skydive to raise money for the Afghanistan Trust, a charity that supports the families of paratroopers from 3rd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, who have been wounded or killed in Afghanistan. He pulled in £50,000 and seems to have enjoyed it immensely.

Ugandan-born John Semtamu said, "We were at 13,000ft and then we free-falled for 35 seconds. It happened very quickly and then the man I was with started spinning around. It was absolutely exhilarating. When I was standing at the door (to the plane) I said ’This is it, it’s the point of no return, it’s the point of no return’.” He also said, “I was praying like anybody's business up there. It was an amazing, amazing experience.”

The jump came about as the result of a charity dinner discussion between the Archbishop and Guy Brudenell, who operates a helicopter charter service. “I said I was doing a parachute jump and he said, ’I’ll do it with you’. I was completely taken aback,” Mr Brudenell told The Times. “I was chuffed to bits but I thought when he goes home and wakes up the next morning, I won’t hear from him again. But the next morning I had his press secretary on the phone saying let’s get it organised, which was fantastic.”

Lance Corporal Lee Read of the Red Devils skydiving unit (the show-jumpers of the Parachute Regiment), who jumped in tandem with the Archbishop, said, “Dr Sentamu was a very good student. He was very calm on board the flight, although he didn't say a great deal. The jump went very well.”

The Archbishop made the jump on the anniversary of the D-Day invasion, and he was quite deliberate in the timing. Prior to the jump, he said, “I’m hoping that the sun will shine today, not only for the parachute jump but also for the anniversary of the D-Day landings in which so many brave servicemen and women gave their lives.” He also said, “It’s important for citizens of this country to value those who risk their lives for the sake of this country so I’m doing my part.” He dedicated his jump to Lieutenant Colonel “H” Jones, who won a posthumous Victoria Cross for his bravery at the Battle of Goose Green during the Falklands War.

© Copyright 2008 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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