Army veteran, 72, to complete first skydive in 50 years - for a good cause
A 72-year-old army veteran is set to complete his first skydive in 50 years, all in aid of the charity Guide Dogs.
Peter Bell from Wellington will be completing his jump from the army parachute centre in Wiltshire, where he will jump from a height of 13,000 ft.
Peter was a part of the parachute regiment during his time in the armed forces. He will be jumping with The Red Devils, who are an elite unit of the British Army Parachute Regiment.
It has been over 50 years since his last skydive, and Peter is hoping to raise £2,500 for Guide Dogs so he can name a puppy in memory of his Mum, Maureen.
Peter said: “Guide Dogs is a charity close to our hearts. A friend of mine was on his third guide dog, and sadly it’s passed away. He’s waiting for a replacement, so it would be nice to contribute towards that”.
Peter and his wife, Susie, are volunteers for Guide Dogs, and a currently puppy raising their eighth pup, a black Golden Retriever cross Labrador called Jasper.
Talking about puppy raising, Peter said: “Eight years ago we met a puppy raiser and we asked how you get into it. Since then, it’s been a fantastic ride and is so joyous”.
Mary Conner, Community Fundraising Relationship Manager for Guide Dogs covering Shropshire, said: “Peter and Susie are fantastic volunteers, and what Peter is doing is to raise funds for us is incredible, we’re very thankful for his support.
“As a charity we rely completely on donations and fundraising, so every penny he raises will help make a difference to people living with sight loss”.
You can show your support to Peter and Guide Dogs by donating to his Just Giving page: justgiving.com/page/peter-bell-1716579779320.
By Joanna Kinrade - Contributor
