Insight into what goes into an Event

9:58am Saturday 27th October 2007

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As you know by now - saturday 20th's Balloon Race was our first group event since changing from being "3 mad ladies" to increasing numbers and becoming the "Hereford Stars"

But when you go to something staged in town like this and think perhaps oh thats a bit dear - spare a thought for the organisers and just how much work has gone into making the event happen - which usually has a bearing on what things costs - to enable more money to be raised.
But if every town could have an annual event like this for Cancer Research UK - just think - we could one day be able to treat cancer much faster and with greater success also perhaps without the long weeks of chemotherpy or radiotherapy involved. One day...........

The Run Up to the event started some 3 months back, when l first approached Sue with the idea. At that point she was still up to her eyes coping with her father who was recovering from a fall, but she gave me her backing and said she would help where she could.
So l begain the paperwork of researching and applying for the various permissions to use the High Town area, etc.

I went in person to see the various Council departments, introduced myself and explained what we were about and wanted to do.
l was intially given the free date of the 20th as a provisional booking and loads of advice as to what to do next.

The next 3 months were then taken up most evenings after work by being chained to the computer, writing letters to business's and shops, getting photocopies done, distributing them - which is where Sue came in and did a fab job. She knows So many people in Hereford we couldnt survive without her network of contacts!
Then came the form filling - we had to have a licence for street collecting, a lottery licence, a space hire contract, risk assessments for both the Council and for Cancer Research UK.
l had to follow all the advice given me by the Civil Air Authority, and follow the Balloon Code of Conduct - to minimise any environmental issues.
Making press releases and keeping members, radio, newspapers, council departments etc up to date with all goings on.
l must say a big Thank You to Hereford Council - much as they get alot of criticism - they were all so helpful during this time - loads of advice on how to approach things - who to see about things like the barriers etc.

By this time, we started getting some response and Sue started to visit places to see how they were willing to help. If they wanted Goblets l then distributed them, we are proud to say we now have 65 goblets in residence in the City Centre shops and cafes. If they wanted to give a prize then Sue took on the job of organising that - something she was Very successful at.

Gradually it all came together, more and more prizes where donated, hence things like the draw and quizes having to be added. Our letters and phone calls approaching certain business's about providing equipment started to provide fruit. With places like Argos donating chairs and a gazebo to the group, Halfords a 1st aid kit, J Mart two other chairs, and services like Hartwell Ford paying for the printing of the draw tickets and ABC printing doing all the photocopying of things like the posters and flyers etc for us, Impress print customising the backs of our t-shirts.
Theres many more to mention but your'll have to go to the blogs on mywebsite to read the rest.

On the Thursday before the event, the Marquee arrived, along with boxes of merchandise, and the leaflets & stand and more event equipment all from the Newport Office.
So there was much unpacking, it was like christmas! and re-packing of it ready for the day.
Also loads of emails and phone calls flying around the house, with conformation of things like the helium tanks and barriers etc being sorted.
Friday - it was into Hereford bright and early - first call Sues - she already taken delivery off me of 3 large boxes of prizes that had been residing in my conservatory, but would need a van to get everything over on the day - so she had those already. We had an update meeting, sorted paperwork and did a telephone interview with Wyvern Radio together - that was nerve wracking l tell you.
l then left to go to the DIY's to buy sand, stone and compost for the tubs - wasnt donated so came out of funds. Then into town for advance ticket collecting.
l then spent the majority of the day, fetching the tickets back from the shops doing advance sales, stopping off everyso often for a cuppa and bag up money, then off to bank and start again.
Finally at 4pm 4 of the 5 of us having costumes met up at molls to collect them. She'd made us some fab t-shirt tutus but had run out of time to customise them all - had done most but mine, sues and arons bare.
So it was quick dash back into town for bits and pieces to add to tutu. (detour to supermarket) then finally home. Where my smashing husband came up trumps. He cut the hem of the tutu to length and pined all the "bits" in place on it while l was stood on top of a stool on the phone. He helped finish logging the advance tickets into the books (all details have to be stored for 2yrs!)
Packed my car and did tea etc - l was up til 3am as it was finishing tutu and some late paperwork (details in mo) but wouldnt have even got that little sleep without him xx

While stood on stool being customised the phone went. It said "International call" l thought it was my eldest brother as he comes up like that - but l answered to find a very soft, irish accent asking for me.
"IT WAS DANIEL O'DONNELL LIVE FROM IRELAND !!!"
Sue had written to him asking for a donation of a prize and he had just arrived back in Ireland from one of the legs of his tour, and been given his post. Rather than think oh well to late and 'filing' it - he rang! He apologised for being late notice (we didnt mind!!) offered some CD's for future use, but as wouldn't be able to get them to use for next day suggested concert tickets! Wow - hes doing a concert in Birmingham next April - so we decided on that one. He arranged for his managers to be in touch with the details.
So over the next few hours l had phone calls from his Tour Manager and his Manager, faxes, emails the lot, to organise and authenticate the tickets for use on the event the next day. So a huge Thank you to Daniel O'Donnell and his team! and Congratulations to the Winner Alison Homes. - hence my very late night - worth it though!

The day itself began for me at 5.30am - (6 for my Tom) up, showered and dressed and on site in High Town by 7.45am!!
The weather was dry and very very foggy! Which was probably a good job as any coppers would have gone mad seeing my car, we were so loaded up l could see all my mirrors but only out of front window! and Tom was holding on to all sorts of bits for dear life so they didnt drop on me! didnt dare do over 30mph.
We got to High Town, and first job Coffee!! the soup stand was there so Tom and l shared a hot coffee. while waiting for the others to arrive. Josh was the first, got himself a drink to warm up to and we started emptying my car.
Next to arrive was Kevin the Council man! A fantastic man, so helpful. He came to set up a small info trailer which was on adjoining site to ours for part of the day. but also to leave me some chains for locking up the barriers at the end of the day. Brandon Tool Hire who very kindly supplied the barriers, could deliver them but wasnt able to collect til monday morning so kevin had begged and borrowed some chains for us from other departments, and lent them to us. He also offered to come down to high town early monday morning to meet brandon for collection of the barriers to save me having to drive in 14 miles especially to do it as l wasnt working that day. Fantastic man, neednt have done any of that so big Thanks.
He also gave us some advice that morning on which way to face the marqee to catch winter sun and best trade, where to park the Thunders, and unlocked the electrics for us.
As for the rest of the day - ive run out of space on here so please see my blogs on My Website