Our very own English Teacher Miss Baxter turns 30 this month and has been busy making plans to jump out of a plane to mark the occasion.
On Sunday 16th January, Miss Baxter's dreams became reality, here she tells all of her exciting experience and why she chose to take this leap of faith.
On Sunday 16th January I made my way to a very chilly field in Nottinghamshire to jump out of a plane! Not your average Sunday activity, I'm sure you'll agree. After checking the weather almost hourly for the week leading up to the jump, I really wasn't sure whether it would go ahead: thankfully, all the stars aligned (or the clouds moved, at least) and I got the go-ahead for the jump. Attached to a very knowledgeable instructor named Dan, we made our way up to 15,000 feet in a Caravan. I should add here that 'Caravan' is the type of aircraft. Oddly, I didn't feel nervous and simply felt excited that it was going ahead after months of planning.
After reaching the correct altitude you move forward towards the open door and watch other people jump off one after the other. It's ever so odd to see them disappearing over the edge. When it's your turn and you get to the edge, you have to bend your knees so that your feet hang under the aircraft; you then cross your arms over your chest, put your head back and get ready to jump.
The instructor doesn't give you a countdown - they just go when it's safe to do so. Before I knew it, I was in 'free fall' and heading towards the earth at an incredible speed. It was exhilarating!
You get around 45 seconds of this and then the instructor releases the parachute and you suddenly fly upwards as air fills the parachute. After that it's a more relaxing experience as you take in the scenery and float to the ground.
You might be asking why I did this. Well, it was all for a very good cause! I am approaching the big 3-0 and wanted to raise money for an incredible cause instead of getting gifts. I am very pleased to report that £850 has been raised for Children with Cancer U.K., with that total still on the rise. Should you wish to donate, here's the link:
Miss Baxter
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