Teesside RAF veteran to mark 90th birthday with charity skydive
John Dyer is raising money for the RAF Association
Last updated 1st May 2025
An RAF veteran in Teesside is marking his 90th birthday with a charity skydive tomorrow.
John Dyer, a former RAF technician from Eaglescliffe, will be raising money for the RAF Association.
He will freefall from around 13,000 feet, reaching speeds of 120mph before the parachute is deployed.
John, who joined the RAF as a boy entrant in 1951 and served for 18 years, said: “I never had the opportunity to do a parachute jump but I’ve always wanted to do one since I was a boy.”
“I turned 90 in January and decided what better way to celebrate my birthday than to finally get to jump out of a plane.”
John will jump at Shotton Airfield in Shotton Colliery tomorrow (30th March), weather permitting. His jump is part of the Association’s RAFA Jumps scheme that sees thrill seekers take on a thrilling tandem skydive while fundraising for the Association.
As the President of the Association’s Stockton & Thornaby Branch, John has a strong connection to the Association and wanted to contribute to its work of providing vital support to the RAF community.
He added: “I’ve seen for myself the great work the Association does to support veterans. It’s a great cause and hugely deserving of my fundraising efforts."
John’s daughter Clare Sullivan, who will be there on the day to support her dad, said: “We’re all really proud of Dad for taking on this challenge. We’ll all be there on the day to support Dad, but I’ll be keeping my feet firmly on the ground!”
Pete Brocklehurst, Community & Challenge Fundraiser at the Association, said: “We’re delighted that John has chosen to support the Association in this way. He’s living proof that it’s never too late to challenge yourself – a wonderful example for us all to aspire to.”