Turkey

We had two events in Turkey, one in Kapadokya, Central Turkey, and the other in Turkey’s Capital, Ankara.
We made a short movie amongst the amazing fairy chimneys of Kapadokya, mixed in with shots of our event in Antalya. We were halping to promote the ‘There is Another You’ campaign.

In Antalya, we created an event with UNICEF Turkey at the famous Atatuk Kultur Merkezi. Around 50 kids came from one of the local schools to see the balloon. We shared postcards from kids around the world, and a music group provided entertainment. A lot of fun was had by all.

Bulgaria

We had a fun family event in South Park, Sofia with UNICEF Bulgaria. Quite a few hundred people came through over the course of the event. There were music performances and children wrote on a wall of their hopes and dreams.

Moldova

We held an event with UNICEF Moldova at a school in the small town of Budești, close to the Capital. A few hundred kids were at the event and had a lot of fun writing postcards, dancing, singing and other entertainment. We flew late in the day and landed close to the Moldovian border.

Hungary

We had two events with UNICEF Slovakia, one in Košice and the other in the capital, Bratislava. Around 50 excited children came to the event in Košice. We exchanged postcards before taking off and floating over the old city.

Before taking off in Bratislava, a local children’s dance group gave a performance. I flew directly over the old town and landed on the other side of Austria, close to the Austrian border.

Austria

We had a one hour fun flight from Krems An Der Donau and surrounding area.

Czech Republic

We flew over the two largest cities in the Czech Republic Brno and Prague. In both cases we flew the entire length of the city. A lot of excited kids greeted us as I landed next to a school in Prague.

Poland

We had a really nice event in the city of Włocławek at a children’s day. We got many excited kids involved in the setting up and packing of the balloon.

A flight was done the next afternoon from a nearby airfield with some local kids.

Ukraine

We travelled to Kiev and made a flight with some local balloonists, then kept going to the troubled region of Donetskand tethered the balloon at a UNICEF event in Svyatogorsk. Around 5,000 people came to the event to celebrate International Children’s Day. There were many great musical performances and activities. It was a privilege to be there and to bring joy to so many kids.

Belarus

We organised an event with UNICEF Belarus as part of an airshow on a very hot day in Minsk. We flew two times during the day. A tent was set up and kids really enjoyed colouring in and writing postcards.

Latvia

We tethered two balloons for around 50 children, some were orphans and others had illnesses. We later flew across the town of Sigulda with two local balloons.

Estonia

We carried out a flight in the region south-west of Tallinn, close to the town of Keila.

Finland

An event was created in co-operation with UNICEF Finland at a refugee camp, about 45 minutes outside of Helsinki. Activities were arranged for the kids and it was a great atmosphere. Both children and adults enjoyed watching both the UNICEF balloon and a local balloon taking off. A few days later we also arranged for a number of the kids to be flown in a bigger balloon from the camp.

Sweden

A late afternoon flight was carried out over the city of Stockholm, promoting our ‘Dream Big’ message.

Norway

We flew just outside of Oslo, over the town of Ski and surrounding area.

Denmark

An event was arranged with Denmark’s UNICEF town of the year, Ringsted. We shared postcards and spoke to a couple of classes encouraging them to follow their dreams. A flight was carried out from a park close to the school with local media present.

Germany

We flew two afternoons at the ‘Kieler Woche’ in the town of Kiel in Northern Germany, promoting our ‘Dream Big’ message.

The Netherlands

We flew over the cities of Alpendoorn and Deventer alongside one of the local balloon company’s balloons.

United Kingdom

Originally we had planned to fly over London, but winds weren’t co-operating, so we changed the location and had a fantastic flight over the cities of Abingdon and Oxford.

Belgium

We created an event with 10 balloons for families to enjoy. Postcards were exchanged with some of the local children. The event was well supported by local balloonists. A local celebrity, Joy Anna Thielemans joined me on the flight and reached out to her many followers during the flight via social media. Local media were also present.

France

We flew over the town of St Clair-Sur-Epte, north of Paris, with two other local balloons.

Spain

A beautiful flight over the historic city of Zamora and surrounding area.

Portugal

A slow flight over the city of Braganca, promoting our ‘Dream Big’ Message.

Switzerland

A spectacular mountain flight in the French Swiss part, from Zweisimmen to Rougemont.

Lichtenstein

A very unique flight through three countries: taking off in Vaduz Liechtenstein, flying into Switzerland, and landing in Feldkirch, Austria.

Italy

We flew in the historic area of Italy, close to Assisi.

Slovenia

A last minute flight, (due to bad weather coming) from Brezovica, close to Ljubljana.