The UK's Largest Outdoor Inflatable Day
This was a very special day for us for a number of reasons - We was part of the team that proudly holds the record for the largest outdoor inflatable day in the UK.
We would hate to misslead anyone and suggest that this was all us - It truly wasn't; We was supported by some of the biggest, best and most kind hearted bouncy castle companies in the UK.
The sole purpose of the inflatable day was to raise funds for the local child cancer ward at Queen Elizabeth hospital. We have some personal reasons for feeling so strongly about this particular place; Chiefly because they saved our son's life when he was undergoing treatment for Leaukemia.
Our son Jake spent almost 4 years tolerating a gruelling regime of chemotherapy and treatment - Largely provided by this incredible local hospital. We are commited to supporting them and doing what we can to help make the lives of other patients slightly less intolerable and will be forever grateful to the doctors and nurses that saved our son's life.
Our latest fundraising idea was to leverage our own company to put on a huge inflatable day. We have a lot of experience in this area to draw from, but we wanted to go bigger - To make a splash and really try to create an impact.
The trouble is, we couldn't do this all on our own. Setting records and putting on an event this size needs some serious help...
I love the inflatable industry. I am far more attached to it than I ever believed I would be - It's a very big part of my life and I do not mind saying that without any shame or embarassment. I truly believe that I will be involved in the industry at some level even when I'm an old man and my strength has left me.
Being the bouncy castle "nerd" that I am, I spend far too much time on groups and pages dedicated to the industry and have made some life long friends with industry contacts. It's actually a much smaller world than you would believe.
I put up a post - Fairly emotionially charged and pretty raw; Seeking help from fellow industry members; Within minutes I had offers of help from all over the country.
This is the type of news that doesn't get heard or the attention it deserves - Bouncy castles are safe and operators that abide and observe the rules have been providing wholesome family fun for years. They're one of the best group of people you can imagine with such a sense of charity and giving that at a moments notice they rallied and commited to collectively putitng on the UK's biggest inflatable fun day - Not for the record or the merit, not for payment or any advantage to themselves, but because they knew this event would raise serious money and go directly towards a child cancer ward - Improving conditions for some of the most poorly children.
This post is weird - It's titled the UK's Largest Outdoor Inflatable Day, but really this story at it's core is about how the inflatable industry came together to put on that event as a group and help raise over Seven Thousand Pounds for a child cancer ward.
We was helped and supported by local friends and family and I can't just brush by that as if it was no effort, because it really was incredible of them. I also have to say though that our staff took the day un-paid and worked hard setting up the inflatables and packing away at the end.
Remarkably though, we had bouncy castle companies come from all over the country to help. Some arrived the day before and put themselves up in hotels out of their own pocket - Some of them with families and young children on their school holiday. We had companies come with huge inflatables and equipment as far as Durham, King's Lynn, Manchester, Herefordshire, Essex, Sittingbourne, London and South-East, Charlton and Swindon.
The funny thing is, we could have gone bigger! In the end we had to refuse the offers of equipment as it was too many! Regardless though, we still asked people to come with their vans and man-power, to come with spare leads, generators, port-a-loos, mallets and their hammering arms. Our website provider printed thousands or leaflets and posters to help get tickets sold, competitors handed out leaflets over parks and other events, friends went door-to-door posting fliers, family members came and worked on the gate, collegues helped staff the inflatables and work on the concession stands tirelessly, local nurses staffed the first-aid tent.
We created a site-plan, held briefings, handed out roles - It as a relief to have so many capable, qualified and safe bouncy castle operators on hand so that we could all work together, but equally had confidence in eachother that individually we was all capable in our tasks - Whether that was staffing, setting up, packing away, briefing other people, evacuation plans, lost chil plans, what to do in case of an accident and the never-ending risk assessment scenarios.
We're proud to say that the day was a huge success - We all helped to raised £7,023 and sent the money directly to Tiger Ward, which we was gratefully recieved and put to work immediately!
I'll never forget what the bouncy castle industry did for us and the support they provided - I will be forever grateful and hope that they call on us to return the favour, because we will answer that call.
And just incase you wanted to see what the UK's biggest outdoor inflatable day looks like, ehre are some videos and photos!
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