Cameron Balloons' latest community, social, charity & education news stories.
Cameron Balloons is proud to support Bristol International Balloon Fiesta; with everything from building new balloons, free meeting and event space, to volunteer help, banners, competition-markers, exhibition pieces, talks, press and media interviews, quick turn-around repairs and behind-the-scenes tours.
History; Don Cameron having discovered how to make and fly a balloon (flying it from Weston on the Green, Oxford - 9th July 1967) enjoyed the early days of ballooning firsts - flights over the Sahara Desert, over the Alps, altitude, distance, duration, first scopp, first airship etc. etc. These succeeded, but it was Don's own attempt to make the first balloon flight over the Atlantic in 1978 ending in the sea about 100 miles from France that sparked the idea... This adventure prompted his fellow members of the Bristol Junior Chamber to ask him to give a talk about his exploits and, in the pub afterwards, the idea of the Fiesta was born. The following year, on the weekend of the 7th-9th September 1979, a small gathering of like-minded balloonists came together to celebrate the first ever Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. Organised by the Bristol Junior Chamber of Commerce and Shipping, the Fiesta was held at the popular ballooning location, Ashton Court.
Now more than 40 years on BIBF is Europe's largest annual hot-air balloon festival and over four days it attracts over 100 Hot Air Balloons and 500,000 members of the Public and the team at Cameron Balloons proud to be one of the 'cogs' that brings it all together.
To celebrate Cameron Balloons supporting Bristol's Children’s Scrapstore for over 35years with their partner Patchway Community College who will take some photos - their aim is to inspire others to think creatively about ‘waste’ in an exhibition featuring Cameron Balloons, which will be at the Engine Shed next June-ish 2016. Childrens' Scrapstore is the charity that makes practical use of scrap material for children's play activities.
Pilots Under Training who sit PPL(b) theory examinations at Cameron Balloons Ltd. will be asked for a donation of £20 per exam - half of which will go to The British Balloon Museum & Library for conservation of Cameron Balloons' artefacts and fun memorabilia for future balloonists.
The other half (£10) will go to one of the brilliant local Scout Groups with the aim of helping and supporting even more young people to take part and enjoy a huge range of Scouting activities, tours, talks and camping.
(This £20 fee is approximately half the recommended examination fee - so still a great saving for new Pilots while also doing extra good too.)
Aerobility is the registered charity founded in 1993 offering disabled people without exception, the opportunity to fly. www.aerobility.com
Cameron Balloons is delighted to partner the Award Initiative run by University of the West of England (UWE) for 16-18 year olds, known as the ‘EMBARK Award’
Embark programmes are exactly what young people who are about to start work or going onto tertiary education need, meaningful activities that will stretch, challenge and most importantly be useful to their new employers or place of work. With such immense competition for work, young people and students need to add to and extend skills, grow their independence and gain solid experience… talent alone, sadly, is not enough.
When looking for a new member of staff to join our team at Cameron Balloons, amongst the skills that we look for are; will they exceed expectations and be up to the job? Will they fit into our existing team? And lastly, do they have that ‘sparkle’ that bit of something…brilliant? This sort or award programme, helps 16-18 year olds go that 'extra mile' showing their committment, whilst improving their employability and confidence.
www.embarkaward.co.uk
Cameron Balloons Ltd is on the short-list for The 2015 Bristol Green Capital Innovation Award for work with Bristol's first fully certified Solar Balloon.
The winner was announced on the 12th November 2015 at the Bristol Marriott Hotel at a black-tie dinner and we are delighted to say it was us!
We hope to be able to provide some great opportunities for a few work experience placements in the future too.
In the meantime, we will soon have the ‘The Cameron Balloons Kids’ Resource Pack’ aimed at children and young people who are interested in ballooning.
These online and printable resources will be perfect for Beavers, Cubs, Rainbows, Brownies, Scouts and any other Children who are fascinated by aviation - specifically focused on lighter-than-air hot-air ballooning... The pack will support of the study of flight, which is part of most school curriculums and many club badge or achievement programmes.
The one off day will comprise of a quick ground-floor tour, a drink and a biscuit!, a model balloon show, a build-a-working-fun-model (fly your paper pilot project), ending with a group photo inside a hot-air balloon... So if there is still mess on the Monday, forgive us – it was for a good cause!
Huge thanks to Simon, Mel and Andy for their help in advance – as we will be working with 60 under 10 year old children!
Cameron Balloons pays a levy of 1.5% of the business rateable value - which is ‘paid into a central ‘kitty’ to be spent on projects that benefit Bedminster businesses’. This scheme, now in its third year of the 5years, is very much biased towards local independent retail aimed at encouraging shopping visitors to the area particularly at the weekend, however it is hoped it will serve to improve the area with planting and community events which should make the local environment more pleasant for everyone.