Gloucestershire hot air balloons take to London’s skies

22 June 2015

London's skies were filled with hot air balloons on 7th June, as Renishaw's G-RENI joined around 40 other balloons in the historic Lord Mayor's Appeal Hot Air Balloon Regatta, raising over £75,000 for disability charities.

Gloucestershire's Exclusive Ballooning and Philip Saunders of the City of London Corporation organised the regatta in support of the Lord Mayor's Appeal, which raises funds for charities recommended by London's Lord Mayor. The money raised from the event will go towards the Appeal's two main beneficiaries, Mencap and Scope, who both support disabled people in the U.K.

G-RENI made the trip to London from its Gloucestershire base, and floating alongside it was a special Lord Mayor's Appeal balloon, produced by Exclusive Ballooning who are based near Berkeley. The Gloucestershire contingent of the regatta was completed by Omega Resource Solutions, which has its UK head office in Stonehouse. The South West was also represented by a balloon from Bristol charity Above and Beyond, which supports patients in Bristol hospitals.

The hour-long flight set off from Shoreditch Park at 5am, with the Capital's skyline providing the backdrop for the balloons as they floated over famous landmarks like Tower Bridge and the Shard. This is the first time since 1993 so many hot air balloons have taken to the sky above London.

Chris Pockett, Renishaw's Head of Communications, said, “For over 30 years Renishaw has supported local communities through its employee-run Charities Committee which has a major focus on helping to support development for the young and disadvantaged; also key aims of the Lord Mayor's Appeal. As a FTSE 250 business, with an increasing City profile, we were therefore pleased to positively use our balloon to help raise funds for this year's appeal.”

In an open letter to supporters, the Lord Mayor of London said, “It is with great excitement that I announce the launch of the Lord Mayor's Hot Air Balloon Regatta, which will see a fantastic array of balloons fly across the city of London to raise awareness for my charitable Appeal.”

He continued, “All proceeds from the Regatta will go to the Lord Mayor's Appeal, which, by giving a platform to its chosen charities, aims to encourage and challenge people to give more and do more to secure the future for the next generation.

The Renishaw balloon flew alongside those of other leading international brands including British Airways, BT, Ricoh, Fortnum & Mason and Universal Pictures.

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