Skydive For Urology Department
by Baron Halpenny, LincsMag Editor.
Date: 30 July 2014
East Lindsey District Council’s Chairman, Councillor Robert Palmer, leaped from a plane on Wednesday, July 30, as he did a Tandem Skydive to raise money for charity.
Raising Money
When Councillor Robert Palmer, 71, accepted the chain of office on 14 May he announced that during his year in office he will raise money for Louth Hospital’s Urology Department which treated him after a diagnosis of cancer ten years ago, at which time he was given just a 20 per cent chance of survival.
Robert has in gratitude of the dedicated work the Urology Department does, taken any opportunity to raise money for the them – including during his previous terms as District Council Chairman and also Chairman of Lincolnshire County Council.
Army Career
No stranger to parachuting, Robert served for 30 years in the Army with the Royal Engineers from 1958 to 1988 and so knew what to expect having had to do several “drops” in his time, but still admitted that he had those “butterflies in the stomach” just before the jump.
Robert jumped out of the plane at 15,000ft harnessed to the front of a fully BPA qualified Tandem Parachuting Instructor, who also happened to be an ex-para, at Skydive Hibaldstow, and went into free fall reaching speeds of around 130mph, watched by his son Michael and daughter Meg on the ground, who had come to give their father support.
Councillor Palmer said: “I owe my life to the Urology Department at Louth Hospital so want to do something big to raise as much money for them as possible. After a career in the military a parachute jump seems quite appropriate.
“All money raised from this jump and from other fund raising events throughout my year as Chairman will go direct to the Urology Department to help them carry out their live-saving work.”
Sponsor
Anyone who would like to still sponsor Councillor Palmer can send a cheque made payable to ‘East Lindsey District Council’ to Chairman’s Charity, Member Services, Tedder Hall, Manby, LN11 8UP.
