See the video now at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVI8OhSYoAM&feature=plcp

And read the story below the fold.

Richard Pulford was a good friend who died in August 2011. Many others knew and loved him and appreciated his enjoyment of life, the quality of his work, his clarity of thought and his humour. On 1st August 2012 I made a parachute jump to raise monies for charities which benefitted from his work with them or from which he obtained support and care.

Richard received much care and treatment at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital - please sponsor its Charity now!

All donations made so far have been much appreciated by me and, importantly, the charity. But there is still time to give and so, if you wish to, please - click on the link, donate to the charity through your sponsorship and so help its work to continue.

Thank you.

The jump was from 12,000 feet -and it went well enough that I was presented with a certificate to confirm that I successfully completed it.

I got down to Headcorn Airfield at 9.35am and went up at 15.35pm. 14 people went up in a Cessna - 3 tandem teams, and 8 solo jumpers. The tandems left the plane after the solo jumpers - 'The Tigers', the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment Parachute Display Team. Unlike them, I was not carrying a red rose, which members of the Princess of Wales's do annually on 1st August to commemorate the participation of the forerunners of the regiment in the Battle of Minden in 1759, nor was I clutching one between my teeth.

I screamed, as instructed, when I left the Cessna. The 30 seconds or so of free-fall - approx 6,500 feet, I believe - passed without the need to think. The sudden deceleration when the main chute opened was an occasion of some discomfort, but both the peace and the view were pleasant and we then drifted down in a controlled fashion to a textbook landing on our backsides. As I say in the video, I can now understand why people jump regularly, but am not certain that I will want to.

Martin Huber

The Chelsea and Westminster Health Charity supports:
World class pioneering medical research at the hospital
Enhancements which deliver outstanding care to patients and their families
A wonderful art collection and visual performing arts programme which supports the hospital's holistic approach to healthcare.

Over the last five years it has funded:
A psychotherapist to help burns patients
2 incubators for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Pharmacy robot
Over 250 free live music performances for patients, carers and the public
Pioneering medical research into stem cells, paediatrics and cardiology