Terrific tradition

There were so many young faces, I wondered whether they knew how it all started – this was the 28th jump for a local charity.

Some 28 years ago the disaster of the Penlee lifeboat happened – it was crushed into the seabed by the ship they were trying to help. There where no survivors.

A local fisherman, Mickey Driscol, standing at the bar in the Arun View declared that if anyone gave him £100 he would jump into the river from the bridge the following weekend.

Within 30 seconds five £20 notes appeared and the die was cast.

There where a few problems – Mickey could not swim!

I had a phone call from him to see if I could help.

It was decided that we should clad him in a wetsuit to make him float and two of the Arun Divers would leap either side of him, another two in the water below, just in case.

He jumped.

The rest of the dive club felt it was a good crack, so they leapt in also, the final figure on that day became over £400 which a charter boat skipper (Tom Pidd) drove down to Cornwall the next day and distributed the cash to the families of the lost crew.

Since that year, the Arun Divers have leapt into the river for local charities, the Arun View has been our host each year, letting us swamp their public bar with river water and supply us with hot soup!

Well done, the Arun View.

The jump this year was for Gulls Way Complemenary Cancer Support and the wheels turned full circle – one of the jumpers who is a supporter of the charity jumped – but could not swim!

I, having been one of the Arun Divers, am very, very proud that the youngsters of today’s club are keeping up the tradition that started all those years ago.

Ray Lee

Saxon Close

East Preston