Chair skydives for charity

Last Sunday Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council, and Ladden Brook ward councillor, Howard Gawler plunged 10,000 feet from a plane to raise money for charity.

Howard took part in a tandem skydive to raise funds for the South Gloucestershire based Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC), one of his chosen Chair’s charities for the year. He has now raised almost £2,000 in total, 50 per cent of his target for the year, the majority of which is thanks to this parachute jump.

The tandem skydive saw the Chairman free-falling through the air (without the parachute deployed) for 5,000 feet at around 120 mph, before safely parachuting to the ground. Howard was harnessed to a professional parachute instructor throughout the descent and his niece Sarah Farthing (from Wick, South Gloucestershire) also took part.

Howard said: “The skydive was a fantastic experience! I must admit I did get rather nervous as the plane began circling before our jump, but as soon as we were falling through the air it was far too thrilling to feel any fear."

“The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity doesn’t receive any government or National Lottery funding, which means they rely entirely on the generosity of local people to continue operating. There is still time to pledge some money to this worthy cause, so please visit the dedicated Just Giving page to make a donation.”

Council Chairman to skydive for charity

Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council, and Ladden Brook Ward Councillor Howard Gawler, will plunge 10,000 feet from a plane on Sunday 7 September to raise money for charity.

Howard will be undertaking a tandem skydive to raise funds for the South Gloucestershire based Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC), one of his chosen Chair’s charities for the year. This will involve him free-falling through the air (without the parachute deployed) for 5,000 feet at around 120 mph, before safely parachuting to the ground. He will be harnessed to a professional parachute instructor at all times throughout the descent. Howard's niece Sarah Farthing, from Wick in South Gloucestershire, will also be taking part in the skydive.

Howard said: “I’m really looking forward to my debut skydive in aid of this very worthy cause, the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. Any one of us may be thankful for the air ambulance’s life saving services at some point in our lives and I’m proud to give them my support."

“The charity doesn’t receive any government or National Lottery funding, which means they rely entirely on the generosity of local people to continue operating. I hope to raise as much money for them as possible, so please visit the dedicated Just Giving page to sponsor my jump or to make a donation.”

To make a donation please visit the Chair’s Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/ChairsCharity2014 You can find out more about the Great Western Air Ambulance at www.greatwesternairambulance.com

Howard Gawler elected Chair of Council

Ladden Brook Councillor Howard Gawler has been elected chair of Council for 2014/15, having served as Vice-Chair for the last year.

The Chair and Vice-Chair of the council are elected each year at the council’s annual meeting and represent the council at civic functions, as well as chairing full meetings of Council.

Cllr Gawler said: “I am very much looking forward to the year ahead. I will be supporting two South Gloucestershire-based charities during my year in office; the Great Western Air Ambulance which provides such a lifeline to people in need and the Hosanna Primary School Support Group. The group is based in Yate, in association with Brimsham Green School, and helps primary school children at Hosanna Primary in Kampala, Uganda.”

Aero museum plans and the air ambulance

Last Monday Claire Young and Howard Gawler were among a group of councillors visiting Filton Airfield to look at plans for the new Bristol Aerospace Centre. The proposals include a new home for the Bristol Concorde, Alpha Foxtrot, which has been preserved at Filton since it made the last Concorde flight in 2003. More information is available on the Bristol Aero Collection website.

Afterwards the councillors had an opportunity to find out more about the Great Western Air Ambulance service.  The charity is currently raising money to buy a new helicopter - if you'd like to support them, check out their website.