Prison officers from HMP Bristol had a day to remember when their charity parachute jump with the Parachute Regiment saw them fall from the sky alongside TV star and adventurer Bear Grylls. Eighteen people paid to take part in the jump from 13,500 feet to raise money for Support our Paras, the official charity of The Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces, collecting a total of around £4,000. Grylls, 48, broke his back during a parachute jump in 1996 but is still a regular jumper and joined the prison staff during their attempt.
“Days like this pull you together,” said Jo Hadden, 51, a security governor for the regional team, based in Bristol. “It helps you to recharge. Everyone on the jump had different backgrounds, roles and experience, but on that day we were so supportive of each other. “We gave loads of encouragement, some of us were really nervous but we were there for one purpose, to jump. And we did it. Since the jump we have all been talking and sharing pictures – I would definitely do it again.”
Prison officer Mark Pulman, 54, organised the jump after serving with paras for nine years before starting his extensive prison career. Mark, who last year organised a team-building exercise on the Brecon Beacons, believes days like this are vital to foster the togetherness and spirit needed to work as a prison officer.
