MP skydiving for service charity this Friday

The member of parliament for South Basildon and East Thurrock is set to make a tandem skydive this Friday (June 20th) to help ABF The Soldiers' Charity.

Stephen Metcalfe is set to leap from a plane at 13,000 feet to support the organisation.

The charity cares for soldiers and the families of soldiers who face hard times and helps a lot of specialist charities linked to the army.

Mr Metcalfe has quipped about how different the jump will be from parliamentary debates.

"Soldiers show great courage when serving their country, and I want to do my bit in return," he has said.

"This certainly will be different from the challenging debates in Parliament."

On a more serious note, he urged: "As current operations come to a close, we still need to keep the Army in our thoughts. Some of the issues they may face can surface long after operational tours are over."

The jump will be happening on June 20th at Wiltshire's Netheravon Airfield.

The MP is set to make his jump alongside The Princess of Wales Regiment freefall display team The Tigers.

Another jumper on the day will be Ray Pearson – a Chelsea Pensioner aged 77. 

Mr Pearson will jump wearing his scarlet uniform, and is also taking part to help ABF the Soldiers' Charity.

"There are not many people who would sign on the dotted line for a skydive – it takes a brave person," commented ABF The Soldiers' Charity chief of staff, Brigadier (Ret'd) Robin Bacon.

Speaking about Mr Metcalfe, he said he was the first MP to make a jump for the charity.

It is grateful for the opportunity this presents for promotion in Parliament and further afield, he added.

"We have a number of jumps throughout the summer so we want to encourage others to take this big plunge," he said. The charity's website has further details about doing this.