Skydiver Kate Lindsley lands The Prince of Wales Cup award

Skydivers have been commended for their impressive achievements in formation skydiving.

Kate Lindsley, from Collingham, is a member of British Not For The Ordinary (NFFO) skydiving team and was one of its four members to be honoured by the Royal Aero Club at their annual awards.

NFTO, The British National 4-way formation skydiving team, received The Prince of Wales Cup from Baroness Vere of Norbiton, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport, at an awards ceremony held at the Royal Air Force Club in London on Thursday (May 16).

Kate, a physiotherapist, has been competing in the sport for nine years and has completed more than 1,500 skydives at Langar airfield. Kate is also a British Parachute Association Tandem Instructor and a formation skydiving coach, she regularly spends time coaching the next generation of skydivers.

She said: “We are delighted to have our hard work, commitment and achievements recognised by the Royal Aero Club. The NFTO momentum just keeps on growing, and we are thrilled to be ambassadors for skydiving around the globe, in particular encouraging increased female participation into our wonderful airsport.”

Joining Kate in team NFTO are Anna, Hicks, Vana Parker, Sian Stokes, Catherine Anderson and team camera flier, Simon Brentford. The team members come from all over the UK and regularly meet up for training sessions at drop zones and wind tunnels throughout the UK and abroad, the current 2019 team plan consists of at least 300 training jumps and 20 hours of tunnel.

NFTO’s impressive selection of achievements include a 2013 World Cup bronze medal; European silver, a bronze medal in the 2016 World Championships, a bronze in the 2016 World Cup of Indoor Skydiving, a 2018 European Indoor Championships silver medal, a 2018 World Championships silver medal and gold in the 2018 World Cup of Indoor Skydiving. NFTO are also the current British Open National Champions.

Tony Butler, chief operating officer, said: “We are delighted that NFTO have been recognised at this year’s Royal Aero Club Awards. They have demonstrated that Team GB can compete at the very highest levels of the sport internationally, their achievements and dedication are an inspiration to British Skydiving.”