Virtual Balloon Race - Mar 2021

Virtual Balloon Race

We are holding a Virtual Balloon Race to raise funds on behalf of two charities, Demeleza and BECOME, a charity that our President Michele is very keen to support. So what, I hear you ask is a Virtual Balloon Race!  

A virtual race works in the same way as a helium balloon race, but the balloons fly around their own webpage rather than in the atmosphere. Once you have bought your balloons they are ‘held’ until 12:00 noon on the 28th March when they are released to fly away. Every hour throughout the race each balloon travels between 1km and 20km. When the race finishes, at 12:00 noon on Easter Day, the balloon that has travelled the farthest wins £100.00, with second and third place prizes of £50.00 and £25.00.

Nick and Angela, with help from Brian and Maria and other club members and their wives, delivering flyers for this charity event throughout Beckenham.

The race is now finished and there were over 260 balloons that took part and the winner travelled over 1900 km.

We are very grateful to all the Rotarians, their friends and families who supported the race, buying balloons for children/grandchildren/ nieces/nephews, or maybe it was just for themselves. 

To see the results of the race, please click HERE 

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22nd June 2021 

The Balloon Race Winner presenting the winning cheque to The Heart of Kent Hospice.

2nd July 2021

On behalf of the whole team, I would like to personally thank you for your kind donation of £100 raised from a recent virtual balloon race which was then gifted to Heart of Kent Hospice from the race winner Andrew Brice.  I am also delighted to add that Mr Brice matched his winnings and made a further donation to the Hospice, the total donation of £200 could support four family members through the loss of their loved one by paying for a one-to-one session with a training Hospice counsellor. 

This year we are celebrating our 30th anniversary of providing outstanding care to the local community, and we are extremely proud of reaching this incredible milestone. Since we opened our doors in 1991, we have been privileged to support over 50,000 people – patients, carers and their families. Through your kind donation you are ensuring that we can continue to provide our specialist advice, support and outstanding care, now and for the next 30 years. 

Thank you again for your kind donation, you’re the reason we can care.  

 Karen Newton-Anker

Heart of Kent Hospice

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28th June 2021

Nick Randall presenting a cheque on behalf of the club, for £1,067.61 to Demelza in Eltham.  This amount represented 50% of the Balloon Race proceeds, plus the allocation from the Club's Christmas collecting activities.