In aid of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, the skies over London were recently filled with the spectacular sight of fifty hot air balloons.
This was the first time in around 20 years that this number of balloons had been launched into the morning skies of the UK’s capital. The balloon regatta set off from Shoreditch Park with reportedly great visibility on the day.
The 7th June event was organised in order to raise awareness of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and the two charities that it is currently supporting: Mencap and Scope. Amongst the fifty balloons attending the event was a special one created specifically for the London-based organisation, which should have helped with raising interest among any spectators.
Speaking in an open letter to supporters, Alderman Alan Yarrow, the Lord Mayor, said:
“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 Sunday event proved to be more successful than an earlier aborted attempt at a hot air balloon regatta, which has to be cancelled in late May as a result of inclement weather over the capital.
Anyone who wants to go on a similar ballooning experience, whether for charity or for their personal enjoyment, will find no shortage of hot air balloon flights in Swindon, Scotland, South wales and beyond.
