The Jenrick Experience Award Winner - Phil Fanthom

My application for the Jenrick Experience – to learn to SKYDIVE!

Please let me explain to you why I have wanted to SKYDIVE since the age of 16 . . . .

"At the age of 16 I was fortunate and unfortunate; unfortunate in that I broke my neck (C6 vertebrae in two places), but very fortunate in that I suffered no long term damage (i.e. paralyses, speech problems, breathing issues…etc).

The recovery phase for this particular type of incident is estimated at between 20 – 60 weeks, which for a 16 year old lad (who enjoyed the pleasures in life) is particularly disheartening and potentially devastating.

My life, as far as I was concerned was ‘sh*t!’."

Having to start all over again
"I then got to meet a series of people which would change my outlook on life forever; fellow patients whose scenario was much worse than mine, nursing staff who put up with grief from everyone, doctors who endeavour to give hope, and…… the dreaded physio department (who everyone hated – especially the patients)!!

It’s a strange thing, when you can go nowhere and all you can do is lie on your back. If someone is boring you to tears, you lose all elements of subtlety and just tell them to F**k off!!; which is what I was trying to tell a chap called Mark (Physio, Recovery and Motivation Specialist).

However, Mark was a persistent person with a thick skin and a sales ability most of us only dream of (if you are in sales). He talked incessantly about the need for motivation in life and things like ‘focus’, ‘goals’ and ‘visualisation’.

If I’m honest, I thought he was talking complete nonsense, until he mentioned ‘reward’."

Finding my focus
In 1988 the relatively new Irish Government was looking for ways to encourage positivity and the spin doctors were flying into operation. One of the initiatives was ‘Dream for a Day’ which entailed a good cause having the right to apply for a grant, the purposes of which were for inspiration and encouragement.

"I was captured by the prospect of skydiving (which given my current predicament may seem a little strange).

My thinking was; it’s something I have always wanted to do, I have nothing to lose, and………no matter what it takes I’m doing it!!!

Fast forward 11 weeks: I am back on my feet (5 weeks ahead of schedule), and at physio (voluntarily) 4 times a day, walking to a reasonable degree (albeit looking like Robocop), and working harder than ever before in my life.

For the first time in my life I was motivated and focused with a clear visualisation of my goals."

Losing my dream
"Then came a news feature which had the potential to destroy everything I was working towards; June 1988 – Funding for ‘Dream for a Day’ has been “Redistributed”.

Obviously in the grand scheme of things, throwing yourself out of an airplane at 10,000 + ft is far from one of the most important things in life, - however, when you have spent a series of months working towards that goal, to have it removed is a huge blow.

As Richard Nixon once said “I don’t do regrets”, but one of my life’s ambitions has, to date, remained unfulfilled – to skydive."

Please help me realise my dream
If I was to be chosen as the winner of Jenrick Experience I would book the AFF course with Hibaldstow, who are renowned as one of the best Skydiving centres in the world.

The AFF course is the 'most intensive skydive course available and enables the student to freefall skydive on 1st jump, solo, at 15,000 ft'.

The course includes a 6-7 hours instruction, Insurance, hire of parachute (which might come in useful), helmet and radio equipment and membership of the British Parachute Association.

Level 2 is a 2nd jump, working on body positioning, technique and control.

If you choose me for the Jenrick Experience, you will allow me to achieve a life long ambition.

Why now?
This is something I have thought about applying for since we introduced the scheme, but always found reasons not to.

Now it is different, as rules change for skydivers who are over the age of 39 (I will be 39 in December 2009) making it much harder to start the sport then as it involves much more intensive medical and fitness work just to go on the course.

I do hope I have explained my story clearly and have enabled you to realise how special it would be to realise this dream.

Thanking you for your consideration
Phil