Thrill-seeker to jump 10,000 feet in charity skydive challenge

A local woman is preparing to skydive from 10,000 feet at Old Sarum Airfield, where she will be jumping out of a plane to raise funds for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance. 

Thrill-seeker, Jakki Jenkins who is a Bowerhill resident, will be taking on her third fundraising challenge on Sunday 8th September, following a second wing walk that she completed for the charity last year. 

“I have never done a skydive before,” says Jakki. “I am really looking forward to it and am very excited now!” 

Jakki says she registered to take part in the tandem skydive because she wanted to give a personal ‘thank you’ to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance. 

“A member of the family had to have the air ambulance out to them and someone who lives in my close also had the air ambulance out to them,” explained Jakki. “The Wiltshire Air Ambulance is so important because I live on that flight path, I can see it’s always up and it’s a vital service for this area. 

“When you are up there, you do think, ‘the ground looks far down’ but you are with experienced people and they know what they are doing and you have training,” says Jakki, who said she did the wing walk last year despite a fear of flying. 

“I did loop-the-loops, barrel rolls and vertical drops,” explained Jakki. “When I watch the footage back now, it does bring a tear to my eye to think that it is me up there.” 

In each of the fundraising challenges Jakki takes part in she says she aims to raise £1,000 per challenge.  

To help reach her £1,000 target for the skydive, she is holding an 80s-themed night at her local pub, The Pilot in Bowerhill, on Saturday 24th August. The evening will include music from the 80s played by local DJ Mister M. 

Jakki said, “I am also holding a raffle at The Pilot, with the prize draw taking place on Sunday 4th August. There are lots of prizes to be won, including my own artwork that I have donated. Earlier this year, I also held a pool tournament at The Pilot, where 22 members of the community took part in the friendly games. 

“The Pilot has been so good in letting me do all of this there. I might do another pool tournament but maybe towards Christmas time.” 

After recovering from the skydive, Jakki says that along with a group of keen cyclists in her street in Bowerhill, she might take part in a cycling event for Wiltshire Air Ambulance at Castle Combe.  

“When I think of the skydive, I can’t imagine what it will feel like just before launching out the door, but I will probably have that horrible sick feeling in my stomach but you have got the adrenaline buzz pushing you through and the fact you are doing it for a really good cause,” says Jakki. 

Tickets for the 80s night at The Pilot cost £5 and are available online https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/melksham/the-pilot/back-to-the-80s/e-xlajyy  or by scanning the QR code.