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balloon releases










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Fund Raising

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.co.uk 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!

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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).

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WHY CHOOSE balloon.co.uk?

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.co.uk 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.co.uk 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.

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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 balloon 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.co.uk 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.co.uk 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.

NABAS - The Balloon Association

Guidelines and Code of Conduct for Balloon Releases.

If you require any further clarification or need advice please contact NABAS, The Balloon Industry’s only independent association on 01989 762 204 or visitwww.nabas.co.uk

The Guidelines and Code of Conduct is designed for anyone who is planning a Balloon Release. We believe this should be strictly adhered to in the interest of safeguarding the environment.

Guide to Balloon Releases:


This information and the Guidelines and Code of Conduct are provided for people and organisations planning their own balloon release for fund raising or any other purpose. We strongly recommend that only a small balloon release should be attempted without professional assistance. Small being defined as anything up to 1000 balloons. This guidance is designed to minimize the risk of any potential danger to animals, sea creatures and the general environment.

What happens when a Balloon is released?


A scientific survey carried out in 1989 revealed that on release a balloon will float up to a height of approximately 5 miles and then it becomes brittle and shatters into miniscule pieces falling back to earth at a rate of circa one piece every 5 square miles. Problems can arise when a balloon is not inflated properly or fully or is carrying too much weight and therefore does not reach the height at which shattering occurs. This situation causes a potential danger to wildlife and the environment.

What can I do to reduce this risk?


The Balloon Industry has produced a Code of Conduct, with input from leading environmental organisations; you should follow this advice to the letter.

Conclusion:

Balloon releases are fun, spectacular and fulfil a variety of promotional and fundraising objectives. However if best practice is not followed major problems can occur.

If you require any further clarification or need advice please contact NABAS, The Balloon Industry’s only independent association on 01989 762 204.

Applying for permission from the civil aviation authority:

It is a requirement that if you are releasing more than 5,000 balloons you must apply in writing for permission to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) at least 28 days in advance of the release because balloons can interfere with air traffic.
The CAA also like to be informed of balloon releases up to 5,000.

A form can be obtained by calling either the NABAS office on 01989 762 204 or the Airspace Utilisation Section of the CAA on 020 7453 6599

BalloonReleaseGuidelines1/2005

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Our Environment and Latex Balloons

What are balloons made of?

There are basically two types of balloons, foil balloons and latex balloons. The foil balloons (often referred to as mylar), are a bladder made of nylon that is covered with a layer of aluminium that is 0.0015 of an inch thick. Latex balloons are made from the sap of rubber trees - a completely natural substance.

Are latex balloons biodegradable?

Yes. Latex is the product of rubber tree sap, it breaks down when exposed to the elements of nature.

How long does it take for a balloon to biodegrade?

Oxidation is the first step in the breakdown of a latex balloon and it begins within approximately one hour of inflation. Oxidation is visible in some types of balloons as a cloudy appearance. This is most evident when the balloon is exposed to direct sunlight, heat or normal outdoor conditions.

Research was carried out in July 1989 with a variety of balloons under various conditions to accurately gauge the time needed for the latex to degrade. Results from this study indicate that the decomposition time for balloons is about the same rate as an oak leaf (6 months).

Is it true that balloons have been found ingested by sea animals?

Some cases have been reported, but balloon fragments are unlikely to cause harm if accidentally ingested. This is because latex and the dyes used in latex colouring are non-toxic. However problems may occur if a partially inflated balloon is ingested, causing possible blockage of the alimentary tract. NABAS is very aware of its responsibilities to the environment. This Code of Conduct was produced to formalise the principles for balloon releases, which have long been the standard for the Industry. It is extremely important that everyone adheres to this code in the interest of safeguarding the environment.

1. Only natural latex rubber balloons to be used for Releases

Latex, being an organic product degrades naturally in the environment. Balloons made of any material other than latex and in particular foil balloons should not be used for Releases.

2. All components used in balloon releases must be biodegradable

Balloons must be hand tied, plastic valves should not be used. Any attached labels must be of paper, preferably recycled.

3. Only helium gas should be used to inflate the balloons

Helium is an inert lighter-than-air gas. As the balloon rises, the gas expands until eventually the balloon bursts producing small fragments, which aid decomposition.

4. No ribbons or strings must be attached to the balloons

Ribbons and strings represent a potential problem and must never be used in balloon releases. Labels should be attached via the hand tied balloon knot.

5. Balloons must always be launched singly

Single balloons disperse easily and quickly. They must never be tied together in bunches for balloon releases.

6. Full approval must be obtained from the relevant authorities

Releases exceeding 5000 balloons should not take place unless they have been cleared in advance with all relevant air traffic and local authorities. The Authorities must be notified in writing at least 28 days prior to the release.

7. Maximum balloon size

Balloons larger than 12" cannot be released. It is forbidden to use balloons containing any metallic pigment.

8. All balloons sold near balloon releases must be weighted

Any balloons sold in the vicinity of a balloon release must be sold with a weight attached to ensure they cannot escape. Foil Balloons must never be released. Latex balloons with a plastic valve and ribbon must also be weighted.

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