A Local Dream
Growing up in Bristol, it was inevitable that co-founder Liam Whitelock would catch the ballooning bug. With memories of seeing balloons soar across the city and the amazing spectacle of Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, Liam dreamed of one day becoming a pilot.
In 2014, he took the first step towards achieving this when Badgerline G-BRHG was donated for him to practice inflations on.
Shortly after in 2017, Liam and his brother Dan received a message about three old envelopes in a barn near Bath that needed rescuing. This included the iconic Cameron N-90 G-BUVW 'Bristol Balloon', complete with the skyline of our beloved city. By then, the bug had well and truly bitten and they couldn’t say no.
With four balloons now in their care, the idea of saving these old balloons and displaying them for the local public to enjoy emerged. They set up the website, the social media and the collection hasn’t stopped growing since!
Growing up in Bristol, it was inevitable that co-founder Liam Whitelock would catch the ballooning bug. With memories of seeing balloons soar across the city and the amazing spectacle of Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, Liam dreamed of one day becoming a pilot.
In 2014, he took the first step towards achieving this when Badgerline G-BRHG was donated for him to practice inflations on.
Shortly after in 2017, Liam and his brother Dan received a message about three old envelopes in a barn near Bath that needed rescuing. This included the iconic Cameron N-90 G-BUVW 'Bristol Balloon', complete with the skyline of our beloved city. By then, the bug had well and truly bitten and they couldn’t say no.
With four balloons now in their care, the idea of saving these old balloons and displaying them for the local public to enjoy emerged. They set up the website, the social media and the collection hasn’t stopped growing since!
The First Year
Officially, the collection took off in 2018 to a flying start. Within the first year alone, the brothers had amassed more balloons and attended three of the UK's largest balloon events.
These included Midlands Air Festival, where they displayed six balloons over the course of the weekend. On Saturday morning, they even inflated alongside some classic special shapes including the Michelin Man, Action Man and Bertie Bassetts!
Next up was back on home turf with the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. It was a special one for many reasons, not only to be back where it all started but also because it was the Fiesta's 40th anniversary. It wasn’t just a return for the Bristol Balloon Collectors, but also for G-EIIR, built for the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977, which had been donated to us and appeared at the first ever Fiesta.
Finally, the collection made it to Longleat's Sky Safari and inflated on the lawn beside the iconic house.
Since then, the collection has visited many parts of the UK by attending balloon events and continues to do so, bringing smiles nationwide.
Officially, the collection took off in 2018 to a flying start. Within the first year alone, the brothers had amassed more balloons and attended three of the UK's largest balloon events.
These included Midlands Air Festival, where they displayed six balloons over the course of the weekend. On Saturday morning, they even inflated alongside some classic special shapes including the Michelin Man, Action Man and Bertie Bassetts!
Next up was back on home turf with the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. It was a special one for many reasons, not only to be back where it all started but also because it was the Fiesta's 40th anniversary. It wasn’t just a return for the Bristol Balloon Collectors, but also for G-EIIR, built for the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977, which had been donated to us and appeared at the first ever Fiesta.
Finally, the collection made it to Longleat's Sky Safari and inflated on the lawn beside the iconic house.
Since then, the collection has visited many parts of the UK by attending balloon events and continues to do so, bringing smiles nationwide.
A New Chapter
After many years of attending other ballooning events, the collectors decided to hold their own. Hosted at Snake Meadows in Saltford (the home of Bath Balloon Club), once again the collection was on home turf. Not only was this a return to their roots for many of the local balloons in our care, but it was also a way to give back to our local community that have supported us from the start. The funds raised helped to cover the growing costs of storage, maintenance and repair, allowing us to continue putting on a show.
The collection has now grown so large that a board of trustee's was created at the end of 2024. They help keep the dream going by overseeing everything from raising funds to maintaining the running of the collection, logistics, storage and much more!
They also manage outreach and aim to involve more people in ballooning. After all, it was local pilots who interacted with Dan and Liam Whitelock when they were kids that inspired it all. By doing this we hope to inspire the next generation and future proof the collection for many years to come.
Such a large collection requires a lot of work. See here how you too can help us keep the dream alive!
After many years of attending other ballooning events, the collectors decided to hold their own. Hosted at Snake Meadows in Saltford (the home of Bath Balloon Club), once again the collection was on home turf. Not only was this a return to their roots for many of the local balloons in our care, but it was also a way to give back to our local community that have supported us from the start. The funds raised helped to cover the growing costs of storage, maintenance and repair, allowing us to continue putting on a show.
The collection has now grown so large that a board of trustee's was created at the end of 2024. They help keep the dream going by overseeing everything from raising funds to maintaining the running of the collection, logistics, storage and much more!
They also manage outreach and aim to involve more people in ballooning. After all, it was local pilots who interacted with Dan and Liam Whitelock when they were kids that inspired it all. By doing this we hope to inspire the next generation and future proof the collection for many years to come.
Such a large collection requires a lot of work. See here how you too can help us keep the dream alive!