The
detail below describes how
to go about a balloon
race or balloon
launch if you are
a school organising a fund-raising
activity, but you will find
it easy to apply to your own
situation if your circumstances
are different. balloon.com
can provide all the equipment
- including the balloons
and the balloon net.
WHY
ORGANISE A BALLOON RELEASE?
Schools
originally get involved with
balloons to raise money. This
method is proven to work and
guarantees an outstanding
return on your investment.
In addition there are other
real advantages to organizing
a balloon release that perhaps
do not immediately come to
mind. Your local press will
certainly attend your event
if they are made aware that
a photogenic end is guaranteed
- a balloon launch can look
great in the local newspapers!
Local publicity is a most
welcome outcome, and whether
your event is a balloon race
or balloon launch, it will
help to raise extra publicity
- and hopefully money! - for
your endeavour.
By advertising
that balloons will be released
from a balloon net at the
end of your event you will
ensure that visitors stay
to see this spectacular conclusion.
Sideshows or other money raising
methods will continue to make
money throughout the afternoon
rather than 'tail off' as
visitors leave before closing.
Display
material is easily produced
both before and after the
event. A wall map indicating
from where labels released
during the balloon launch
have been returned is an obvious
idea that can help keep the
balloon race - and the cause
attached to it - fresh in
people's memories.
Links can
be made with other schools
holding a balloon launch both
nationally and abroad.
The local
community will be aware of
your efforts and the image
of your school will certainly
improve.
Many subject
areas within your school will
be able to use the balloon
release to their benefit -
Art, Modern Languages, and
Geography to name just three.
Balloon launches can be educational
as well as fund-raising events.
ABOVE ALL
IT WORKS AND IT'S FUN!
HOW
DOES A BALLOON LAUNCH WORK?
Pupils,
staff and friends of the school
sell Balloon Race Labels.
These are stamped with the
name and address of your school.
The buyer will write his/her
name in the appropriate place
on the label.
On the day
of the event the labels are
attached to helium filled
balloons which are then released
from the balloon net.
Each balloon
label has a request that the
finder should post it back
to the school.
Prizes are
given to those people whose
balloon labels are returned
from furthest away (many labels
have been returned from as
far away as Greece, Southern
Germany and Northern Scotland).
WHY
CHOOSE balloon.com?
Having decided
to organise a Balloon Race
you will want to be certain
you are going to get the instant
support and advice you need
as well as excellent value
for money.
balloon.com
offers a Balloon Hotline which
you are free to call at any
time. You can talk to experts
who have both organised balloon
releases in schools and have
vast experience in balloon
launches of all kinds. We
can also provide the balloon
net and other necessary materials.
Proven ideas
and practical advice are both
just a phone call away!
We are confident
that our prices are the lowest
around. Our all-inclusive
price includes:
Race labels,
balloons and a balloon net
sent to you at least 3 weeks
prior to your race.
Helium gas
delivered immediately before
the event and the cylinder
collected immediately afterwards.
Advice whenever
you require it.
Finally
you can be certain all products
supplied by balloon.com
are environmentally friendly.
Our balloons are made from
natural latex and are as such
biodegradable. Helium gas
is non-poisonous, non-toxic
and non flammable - it's totally
safe to use.
THE
ORGANISATION OF YOUR BALLOON
RELEASE
IN
THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO THE
EVENT SET TARGETS
Set a target for the number
of tickets you want to sell.
Be positive and publicise
your aims. Update the number
sold on a regular basis on
a Public Board where pupils
can see the results of their
efforts. Use assemblies, news
letters etc. to keep everyone
informed on progress.
SELL
TICKETS EARLY
You should aim to sell most
tickets (at least 95%) before
the day. Your school's name
and address should be clearly
marked on the blank side using
an address stamp and indelible
ink, or an address label produced
on a laser printer. If it
is wet on the day of your
balloon race and the address
is removed by rain no tickets
will be returned.
HAVE
AN EXCELLENT 1st PRIZE
A colour TV or large cash
sum will attract people to
buy tickets for the balloon
race. This is a worthwhile
and necessary investment.
If the main prize does not
excite, ticket sales may be
slow. Perhaps a local car
dealer or shopkeeper may be
prepared to sponsor you.
GIVE
A PRIZE TO THE MOST SUCCESSFUL
SELLER OF TICKETS
A cash prize to the most successful
seller will increase sales
enormously. A figure of £20
will easily be recouped if
only 10 to 12 pupils become
competitive. You will be amazed
by how many ticket sales this
will produce.
CONTACT
YOUR LOCAL PRESS
This needs to be done maybe
two weeks ahead of the balloon
race to allow for their planning.
A reminder a few days ahead
of your balloon race is advisable
- remember to give exact time
of release from the ballon
net, as well as date and location.
CONTACT
THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY
For release of 1000 balloons
and over you will need permission
from the C.A.A. balloon.com
will send you the relevant
form if you need to apply.
The C.A.A. has never, in our
experience, refused permission
for a balloon release.
THINK
ABOUT THE ACTUAL RELEASE
Think about how you are going
to release your balloons.
If you are involved in a large
release you may want to use
a net (contact balloon.com
for details). Otherwise you
can easily arrange for pupils
to hold balloons and release
them from the balloon net
after an exciting countdown.
Inflated balloons can be stored
in a nearby room (a low ceiling
if possible!).
ORGANISE
TEAMS AND PRACTICE INFLATION
You should organise teams
who will inflate your balloons
on the day of the balloon
launch. These teams need to
practise. Three people in
a team is ideal. No.1 inflates
the balloon and passes it
to No.2 who ties a knot in
the neck. No.3 puts the label
over the neck. For a larger
balloon launch use teams of
5. The person inflating the
balloons will work more quickly
than those tying balloons
or fixing labels. Your team
of 5 would therefore work
as follows:- No.1 inflates
and passes to Nos.2 and 3
who tie the balloon. They
in turn pass to a label fixer
- Nos.4 and 5. Always have
an authoritative adult in
each team.
ON
THE DAY OF THE RELEASE INFLATION
OF YOUR BALLOONS
Expect your teams of three
to be able to inflate between
150-200 balloons in an hour.
Teams of 5 can inflate up
to 300 in an hour. Work backwards
to reach a time when you start
inflation. Allow about an
hour between your expected
finish time and the release
time. Do not start too early
and NEVER BLOW UP BALLOONS
ON THE DAY BEFORE THE BALLOON
RELEASE. Helium filled balloons
always lose gas. They will
stay inflated for at least
15 hours at ground level and
much longer at a higher altitude
where it is cooler. This is
ample time for a long journey
once airborne. However your
balloons need to contain as
much gas as possible on release
so time your inflation accurately.
Do not, however overfill your
balloons or you will experience
difficulty in tying them.
Aim to put gas into the balloon
until it begins to go pear-shaped.
Your teams should practice
this on a few balloons before
the day of the release. If
it is wet on the day of the
release it is important that
you try to keep your labels
dry. Wet labels are heavy
and may stop your balloons
from flying satisfactorily.
Always tie
your balloons by hand with
a knot in the neck - NEVER
USE STRING, RIBBON OR VALVES.
NETS
You will be aware that our
prices do not include the
cost of a balloon net. For
smaller events it is possible
to organise your balloon release
without the use of a balloon
net although it is usually
more successful to use one.
For larger balloon launches
it is vital that if you are
not going to use a balloon
net you plan very carefully
how you are going to store
your balloons once they are
inflated and how you are going
to release them.
If you are
considering purchasing a net
from us for your balloon release
please contact me without
delay.
REMEMBER
NEVER USE STRING OR RIBBON
DURING YOUR RELEASE PREPARATION.
Once a balloon
is inflated a knot should
be tied in the neck of the
balloon. The neck of the balloon
is then pushed through the
hole in the label. The label
sits securely between the
knot and the raised end of
the balloon neck. It is perfectly
secure and the whole process
is environmentally friendly.
You should not use string,
wool, or ribbon to tie the
balloon or to tie the label
to the balloon.
TIME
YOUR INFLATION.
Plan carefully the time to
start your inflation. Never
inflate your balloons on the
day before the release as
most of the gas will have
escaped and your balloons
will not fly. Allow 1 hour
between your release time
and the expected end of your
inflation. Find your start
time by working back at about
150 inflated balloons per
hour. EXAMPLE To release 400
balloons at 4.OOpm. Aim to
finish inflating balloons
at 3.OOpm. Allow 2hrs 45mins.
to inflate 400 balloons so
start your inflation at about
12.15pm . If you have two
cylinders you need less time
as two teams can work simultaneously.
CHOOSE
YOUR RELEASE POINT CAREFULLY
. Release
one or two balloons (without
labels) from the balloon net
a few minutes before your
main release to check wind
direction. Position your balloon
release so that the balloons
can travel the maximum distance
before meeting trees or buildings.
This will enable the balloons
to pass over these obstructions.
A few balloons
will burst or not fly on release
- this is normal. You will
have spare balloons and if
you have not over inflated
your balloons you will have
plenty of gas over. Carefully
remove the labels from any
balloons that remain on the
ground and attach them to
new balloons and release individually
- it is a distance race so
this will not matter.
If it is
wet, try to keep your labels
dry for as long as possible
as wet labels will be heavy
and will make your balloon
launch more difficult.
In the week
prior to the balloon release
or balloon launch, remember
to mark the sold labels to
be released from the balloon
net with the return address
using indelible ink or printed
labels using a laser printer.
Some schools have forgotten
to do this and obviously none
of the labels from any of
their balloons have been returned
to them.
