The care & share days started off as just that, people were generous enough to show up and share ideas, just for the love of our art. Some at first were reluctant to come along and share thinking that others would just take their ideas, they soon found out this was not the case as the balloon community must be one of the most giving and sharing of communities around.
So trying to keep things fresh and moving along we then started to have structured lecture/workshops at the days so that the regulars who attended didn't get bored and some variety was added to the days. Then after a while again trying to keep things fresh and moving along we added a mystery lecturer, then some fun competitions and now it's like a mini balloon convention all rolled into one day.
Well I like to think so. The price has varied for these days from free to £10 with a £10 balloon voucher and £10 with no voucher depending on what has been going on at each day. We even had a performance day with Danny which was great and all for a modest cost. Sempertex have been great with the sponsorship for these days as without them I'm not sure any of the days over the past four years would have happened.
The Levett & Lee road show is Thelma & I doing the whole day in a lecture/workshop vein as you would normally see at a balloon/magic conventions. Much more structured with so much, probably too much balloon information, models, sculptures and recipes etc being passed on
to those kind enough to attend and again all for a ridiculously small fee.
The party day is just jazzing and bigging up a care & share day really, although we are trying to book two mystery lecturers from Europe to come over for the Birmingham day on the 30th and we do try to spice things up a bit. A buffet lunch is provided within the cost of the day as well.
And the David Grist Memorial lecture is a day when we try and get everyone to spare a moment and a thought for a dear friend who passed away a few years back now and to keep his name within the balloon community alive for the newcomers as without others who have gone before us none of what we do now would be possible. We have done three days so far with Ralph Dewey, Don Caldwell and Patricia Bunnell all coming over from America. These days do cost a little more, approx £40/50 but I have to pay flights etc myself as these days are not sponsored.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the mystery lecturers for coming along and sharing their thoughts and ideas at the days as all have been kind enough to do this all for a very modest fee and I really do mean modest fee so that we all benefit from the days and hopefully improve our art to the general public.
It has been an amazing roller coaster of a ride over the years organising the days with many problems and hick ups along the way, sometimes things happen when you least expect them too, but as they say whatever happens……………keep smiling. Hopefully though people have learnt and improved their balloon modelling and entertaining skills by attending the days and they have been of benefit to everyone?
So please try and support the days if possible that are planned for the rest of the year as being perfectly honest it has been difficult this year to get the minimum numbers required to run the days.
As Lyn just said to me the easiest way to see the difference is to attend them all
) but i will certainly try my best hey... Keep ya posted when i hear
