Accountancy & Banking
Matt Cooper, left, Associate Director at Hampshire business and tax advisers HWB Chartered Accountants, with brother James at Old Sarum Airfield, near Salisbury, where the skydive took place
Published: August 13, 2024 | Updated: 13th August 2024
Southampton-based accountant Matt Cooper, who is terrified of heights, has conquered his fear by skydiving from 15,000 feet to raise £2,300 for Mountbatten Hampshire.
Matt, an Associate Director at HWB Chartered Accountants, took the leap over Old Sarum in Wiltshire, enduring 60 seconds of freefall before safely parachuting to the ground.
This cause holds deep personal significance for Matt, as both of his parents have been receiving cancer treatment for several years.
The skydive, which was postponed three times due to weather, was initially a 30th birthday gift from his brother, James, who joined him on the jump. Matt’s wife, Daicy, completed her skydive separately.
Mountbatten Hampshire, the charity supported by HWB Chartered Accountants, is the county’s oldest and largest hospice, providing care to around 1,000 families daily.
Matt said: “Being launched out of a plane at 15,000 feet and hurtling towards the fields below at 125mph is not necessarily my idea of fun, but I simply had to do it for Mountbatten Hampshire.”
Matt Cooper, Associate Director at Hampshire business and tax advisers HWB Chartered Accountants
He continued: “I’ve been scared of heights for as long as I can remember. I even get nervous looking down from a climbing frame. But the jump was certainly worth it to raise so much money for the charity.”
Matt, who has been with HWB since 2014 and became an Associate Director last year, shared that the freefall wasn’t enjoyable, but the parachute ride was a thrilling experience: “Once the parachute opened, it was incredible. The view above the clouds was amazing, and the landing was smoother than I expected.”
HWB Chartered Accountants’ Managing Director, Tracy Jenkins, praised Matt’s bravery: “Matt is terrified of heights, but he was determined to overcome his fear to support this worthwhile cause. We are incredibly proud of his courage and dedication.”
Donations for Matt’s skydive are still being accepted via HWB’s JustGiving page. The Chandler’s Ford-based firm continues to provide business and tax advice to clients across the region.
