Photograph: The sky’s anything but the limit for this "chuting star" and his team. Brian Mitchell takes to the air with his buddy.
The self titled Geriatric Geronimos from the Rotary Club of Dunfermline are walking on air after their self-funded tandem skydive at Strathallan Airfield in May poured pennies from heaven – more than £11,000 of them – into the coffers of their three chosen charities.
The six JumpNuts, with an aggregate age of over 360 years, raised £5500 for Rachel House in Kinross , run by the Children’s Hospice Association (Scotland) , with the remaining half being split between two of Rotary’s global campaigns – £3500 to supply ShelterBoxes to disaster victims and £2000 to eradicate polio worldwide .
Rotarian Tom Sunter, leader of the JumpNuts, average age 61, said: “The volunteers and staff of CHAS do a remarkable job. We’re delighted to offer some support, even though it can never be enough.
“The prime reason for the existence of Rotary is service to the community. It’s what we do. It was great to do something for youngsters, particularly as we JumpNuts have all reached the age when actions creak louder than words!”
The "chuting stars" went overboard for the three causes at 10,000 feet, reaching a maximum speed of 120 mph before pulling the ripcord at 5000 feet.
The JumpNuts were Dunfermline GP Gerry Gillespie; IT specialist Brian Mitchell; Bill Runciman, retired secretary of the Carnegie Dunfermline and Hero Fund Trusts; David Steele, Naval Liaison Officer (Scotland); Tom Sunter, the last Royal Naval base commander at Rosyth and former executive director of the Institute of Directors (Scotland); and local entrepreneur and veteran athlete, Mike Williams.
Because of their respective ages, all six JumpNuts required prior medical clearance to certify they were free of such conditions as current neuroses requiring active treatment, a history of psychosis or pathological euphoria.
Dr Gillespie summed up the experience thus: “Nerves of steel…legs like jelly! Fabulous flight. Thankfully the ‘chute opened!”
Self-confessed adrenalin junkie Bill Runciman recalled: “The weather was splendid, with views for miles when airborne. The free-fall part is exciting. The descent under the chute is all too short. I would happily have done it several times.
“Tom Sunter and I were in the plane together, with our buddies on our respective backs. Also in the plane was a solo flier and, of course, the pilot. My buddy looked at everyone and asked for our ages. The six of us totalled 342 years! When he added on the age of the plane, it became frightening!”
Tom Sunter adds, “It was a long hot wait…the ascent was slow and nervy…the freefall utterly exhilarating.
“As the parachute opened, this 68-year-old idiot shouted, ‘Fantastic! I was disappointed when the parachute opened.’ In a very dry voice, the instructor merely said, ‘I wasn’t!’”
Tom had a second happy landing when he was named Dunfermline Rotary Club’s Rotarian of the Year for 2009-2010. He received the Alistair Brown Trophy for his “unique leadership style” and his support of the JumpNuts team in delivering, from concept to reality, his “hare-brained idea” of a parachute jump for charity.
In accepting the £5500 cheque from Past-President Noel McKenna, Jon Heggie, CHAS regional fundraising manager said, “The JumpNuts have raised an absolutely terrific amount of money and I am thrilled to accept this cheque on behalf of CHAS. We are hugely grateful to all our supporters, like the JumpNuts, who help us raise enough money each year to provide our vital hospice services for children, young people and their families throughout Scotland.”
Mr Heggie said the club had already contributed a “phenomenal” £16,000 in donations since 1994.
