Great Torrington girl takes on skydive for Cats Protection

An 18-year-old girl from Torrington recently undertook a remarkable solo skydiving challenge to support the cause of Cats Protection. 

Despite encountering adverse weather conditions during her initial attempt at the jump when she was 17, Chloe Gough persevered and successfully completed the exhilarating feat on March 3.

Originally scheduled for September 30, 2023, Chloe's skydiving endeavour faced a setback due to windy weather conditions, prompting her to reschedule the event.

Undeterred by the delay, Chloe remained steadfast in her commitment to raising funds for Cats Protection, a charity close to her heart due to her passion for animal rescue and rehoming.

Chloe told the Gazette: "I chose to raise money for Cats Protection because I want to work in the animal rescue and rehoming industry and I’m very passionate about rescuing animals and ensuring they are kept in correct living conditions.”

Departing from Torrington, Chloe made her way to Exeter airfield, where she embarked on her solo skydiving adventure with Skydive Buzz. 

Despite the nerves that plagued her leading up to the initial jump date, Chloe found herself surprisingly calm as the rescheduled date approached.

Chloe said: "Leading up to the skydive the first time before it being postponed I was very nervous up to a week before the jump overthinking it, but the second time leading up when I actually completed the dive I was surprisingly calm."

Reflecting on her experience, Chloe described the dive as akin to a scene from a movie, with the camera capturing every moment of her descent and the tightly packed aeroplane adding to the cinematic atmosphere. 

Throughout the dive, Chloe remained composed, focused on her mission to support Cats Protection and provide aid to vulnerable animals in need.

Thanks to the generous support of her friends and family, Chloe managed to raise an impressive £700 for Cats Protection through sponsorship and donations.

Chloe said: “Altogether I raised £700 alone for Cats Protection thanks to my friends and family’s generous sponsors.”