By Kate Barkley
Volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager and former crew member at Ramsgate RNLI, Gary West, is set to see the sea from a whole new perspective as he prepares to complete a skydive in celebration of his 50 birthday.
The challenge will be raising vital funds for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
On Friday 10 April, Gary will jump out of a plane from 12,000 feet, stepping far out of his comfort zone to support the charity he has dedicated so many years to. The fundraising effort aims to contribute towards the RNLI’s lifesaving work, helping ensure crews have the training, equipment and support they need to continue saving lives at sea.
The skydive will take place above Headcorn in Ashford, where he will take the leap around 10am.
Gary first joined Ramsgate RNLI in the early 2000s as a volunteer crew member. Having grown up in Kingsgate, he had often watched the lifeboat crews launch and train, admiring their commitment and courage; though he admits he never imagined he would one day be part of the crew himself.
Today, Gary is the volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager (LOM) at Ramsgate RNLI, coordinating launches and supporting the volunteer crew. In celebration of Gary’s 50 birthday, his wife thought she’d treat him to a skydive.
Gary said: “Most people don’t know that I’m absolutely petrified of heights. If I’m going to do this skydive, I want to make sure I’m doing it for a good reason.
“I remember a year or two after I started volunteering at Ramsgate RNLI, I went out on a rescue in force ten gale winds to a yacht out by the Goodwin Sands. I was the helm on the lifeboat and waves were breaking over us in every direction. I felt real fear then and there have been a few moments like that.”
It’s experiences like these that have inspired Gary to give back even more. He is aiming to raise £10,000 to support the RNLI, helping fund the training of the charity’s volunteers and the maintenance of lifesaving equipment.
Gary added: ‘I know how it feels to rescue someone from drowning, and I want to help support and train our volunteer crews so we can make sure that they, and all the people they rescue, make it home safely every time.
“If you can donate even just one pound to cheer me on through this, I will be very grateful.”
Gary’s charity skydive fundraising page can be found at: Gary West – Skydiving | RNLI
