Sign up to Hospiscare’s skydiving challenge.

Sign up for Hospiscare’s Skydiving Day next month and jump out of a plane at 15,000 feet.

Already nine employees from Axminster Tools & Machinery have organised their own Hospiscare skydive and described it as ‘one of the best experiences of their lives’.

They raised £1,100 for the Hospiscare East Devon Day Hospice Appeal.

The fundraising total for the appeal now stands close to £150,000.

Hospiscare’s fundraising skydiving day takes place on Sunday, September 21, at Dunkeswell Airfield, or you can organise your own on a different date.

The jump will be a tandem skydive where you are strapped to an instructor and do not need any training apart from a health and safety briefing which will happen when you register.

The cost of the jump is £395 - this is made up of a £50 deposit, £200 jump fee and a minimum donation to Hospiscare of £145. Any money raised above the £395 will go directly to Hospiscare.

Staff from Axminster Tools started their day at 8am with training and by noon they had all successfully completed their jumps at the Dunkeswell Airfield.

Organiser, retail administrator, Maddie Edwards said: “We were free falling for a minute from 15,000ft before the parachute opened.

“We fell 10,000ft and the parachutes opened at 5,000ft. From this height you could see the Bristol Channel and Wales in the distance, and the south coast up as far as Weymouth and down as far as Torquay.

“The views were amazing and it was as though you were just looking at a picture rather than actually being up in the air slowly floating down. The plane had landed before we did.

“Everyone has said it was one of the best experiences of their lives. Now, we just need to try and top this next year! They spent about a minute freefalling and five minutes parachuting.”

Midweek Herald reporter Katy Griffin will be taking part in the skydiving day on September 21. Anyone interested in signing up to do a skydive is urged to contact Hospiscare’s running and challenge fundraiser Celia Wilkinson on 01392 688052 or c.wilkinson@hospiscare.co.uk for more information.

Axminster Tools is a significant supporter of the East Devon Day Hospiscare appeal. As well as the skydive, it is organising a sports day and is sponsoring A Jolly Good Jaunt.

The Axminster Tools Sports Day takes place on September 7, 1 to 5pm at Clockham Lawns, Axminster.

A variety of sports will be on offer including rounders, wellie wanging, three legged races, egg and spoon races. There will also be a barbecue and a bar.

Entry fee is £1 or £3 for a whole family. If you would like to take part please contact surinder.preston@axminster.co.uk