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A training officer from one of the North East’s fastest growing companies, The Specials Laboratory, was on a real downer as she jumped out of a plane on her way to raising almost £400 for Macmillan Cancer Research.
Gail Johnson, 21, signed up for the daredevil tandem jump, which took place in Nottingham, after seeing a story about the Red Devils parachute team on TV. She then set about raising sponsorship for the escapade, receiving support and encouragement from friends and family, as well as colleagues at the Specials facility in Prudhoe.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and when I saw the appeal for volunteers on TV, I was straight on the phone,” says Gail, who has worked at Specials for three years. “The Red Devils provide all the training on the day and you can choose whether to do it for charity, so I decided to support Macmillan as they did so much to look after my Grandad when he was ill.
“The experience was certainly one I’ll never forget and I’ve already signed up to do it again next year. The only time I was nervous was when we were waiting for the plane door to open, but once you’re in the air, you just enjoy the experience.
This is not the first time that Gail, who lives in Mickley, has turned her hand to extreme sports. To celebrate her 21st birthday, colleagues clubbed together to buy her a day out at a rallying circuit, driving with experts and then trying out the cars for herself. Now they have put their hands in their pockets again to support her fundraising parachute jump.
“We were all very envious of Gail’s exploits, but the whole team was delighted to lend their support to such a good cause,” says Sharon Griffiths, General Manager of The Specials Laboratory. “The whole workforce here is a close-knit community and we’re always keen to get involved, even with something as madcap as throwing yourself out of an aeroplane.”
The Specials Laboratory facility in Northumberland has benefited from an investment of more than £5 million in state of the art clean room technology and, along with its sister company, Specials Clinical Manufacturing, the business employs more than 150 people. An experienced team of pharmacists and technicians create bespoke treatments for a huge range of illnesses and have access to a wide range of unique dosage delivery systems.
