In the news
-
News releases »
- Archbishop's Tribute to the former Bishop of Ripon
- Archbishop Calls For Church To Reach Out on Knife Crime
- Archbishop calls for civil rights movement to restore Zimbabwe
- Archbishop delivers Zimbabwe plea
- Archbishop Appoints New Chaplain
- Archbishop's Tribute to Pat Regan
- Joint statement by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York regarding St Bartholomew-the-Great
- Archbishop's lecture 'Liverpool, where religious faith is part of the solution, not the problem'
- Archbishop's challenge to young people
- Archbishop completes parachute jump
- Archbishop's Speech on The Role of Religion in Politics
- Cluster bombs: Archbishop commends Britain's high moral tone
- Archbishop's charity parachute jump to be rescheduled »
- Archbishop prepares for parachute jump
- Hundreds give their lives to Christ
- Prayer For Madeleine
- A Pound for Zimbabwe: give to Christian Aid
- Archbishop calls for public to join him for day of fasting and prayer In York Minster for Zimbabwe
- In pictures
- News archive
- Audio/Video
- RSS news feed
- Contact the media office
Archbishop's charity parachute jump to be rescheduled
Tuesday 27 May 2008
The Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, has been forced to abandon his charity parachute jump due to bad weather. The parachute jump will now take place on Friday 6 June 2008 at Langar Airfield, Nottingham.
Guy Brudenell, Major Nick Vischer of the Red Devils parachute display team and Dr John Sentamu at Langar Airfield in Nottinghamshire
Dr Sentamu was to jump from 12,500ft with the Parachute Regiment's Red Devils team to raise money for families of soldiers injured in Afghanistan.
But organisers at Langar Airfield in Nottinghamshire were forced to call off the jump this morning amid strong winds, driving rain and low cloud.
Dr Sentamu said: "It's just like somebody who has been training for a match and is told "Sorry mate, the match is off". But we know we are going to come back. I was ready, but we needed to be able to see!"
He added: "I am going to take the training video home to see it, but I am ready. We now know another soldier has died in Afghanistan and it would have been good to have done something today but we will come back."
"The important thing is that the public get behind the appeal and take the opportunity to ease the financial burden on these brave people who have already given so much. If everyone sponsors me even just a small amount then it will make a huge difference."
The Archbishop had planned the jump after meeting Yorkshire businessman Guy Brudenell at a charity dinner. They hope to raise £50,000 for the Afghanistan Trust, a charity that supports the families of paratroopers from 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, who have been wounded or killed whilst serving in Afghanistan.
Dr Sentamu said he was supporting the Parachute Regiment in memory of Lieutenant Colonel 'H' Jones, who was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his bravery at the Battle of Goose Green in the Falklands conflict.
A website in support of the trust can be viewed at www.afghanistantrust.org