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By Alex, November 18, 2011 1:07 pm

I headed to London on Wednesday for the Virgin Social Marathon with a whopping 20 #FirstTimes still to complete in order to get the big 50 for Virgin Unite.

Thanks to the help of the brilliant Virgin Balloon Flights team, our fantastic colleagues from other Virgin businesses, wonderful customers and a large slice of luck, I did it!

I worked on a train (juice trolley duty with Virgin Trains), did a Sudoku (eventually!), went busking, roller  bladed (like Bambi on ice),  visited the Tate Modern, went on a motorbike ride (with Rhys from Virgin Limobikes), learned to make tasty Hollandaise and fed flamingos (not Hollandaise!) at the Roof Gardens, swam in a lake, had my hair coloured and eyebrows plucked, played poker (responsibly online with Virgin Games), ate dragon fruit, ate jellied eels (not recommended). Facebooked @ Facebook HQ and tweeted ‘a poem’.

A rickshaw ride and frogs legs eluded me, but were replaced with winkles and pickled herring and being an impromptu newspaper street seller. We also threw in a celebrity encounter by meeting former MP Lembit Opik of ‘I’m a Celebrity Fame’.

I finished off by telling Sir Richard Branson a joke (via Twitter) ‘What do you call a nun on a treadmill?’ A Virgin Active. He replied ‘Haha! Great effort & well done for your 50 #FirstTimes‘

What a day!

Thanks to everyone who helped with this weird and wonderful charity challenge including Facebook and Virgin.com plus all those who have sponsored me. Hopefully, we’ll creep to the £1,000 including gift aid (sponsor me here) and then it’s over to you Virgin Unite!

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By Alex, November 17, 2011 6:29 pm

So I’ve completed my 50 #FirstTimes charity challenge yesterday in aid of Virgin Unite (the-not-for-profit foundation of the Virgin group) while the Virgin Social Marathon was in full swing. Here are the next 10 challenges I (just about) got through…

Working in a charity shop (thanks Barnardos!), making a coffee like a barista thanks to ‘We Are Mud’ in Bearwood, Birmingham, working on a stall, being a vet nurse at Bridgnorth Veterinary Centre, pulling a pint at the Kings Head, working in a hairdressers at Red Salons Bridgnorth, having his nails painted, bareback horse riding and kissing a pig at the Heath Farm in Great Bolas and eating a banana split!

#FirstTimes No.20-30 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Thanks to all the people and businesses who helped out.

See loads of videos of my challenges at our Virgin Balloon Flights YouTube channel and you can still time to sponsor me on my Virgin Money Giving Page.

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By Alex, November 14, 2011 2:02 pm

Well, my challenge to do 50 First Times in Five Days for Virgin Unite leading up to the Virgin Social Marathon on Wednesday (Nov 16) is underway.

So far, I’ve been hit with a custard pie (watch this on YouTube), learned some Swedish, had a family photo shoot, made pasta from scratch and rewired a light switch (with supervision from an electrician!) all for the very first time. But this is just the start – there’s a long way to go.

Next it’s a 10-mile run followed by a refreshing ice bath! Having my legs waxed and eating a banana split will be a doddle after that.

Follow my progress on Twitter, on Facebook and sponsor me on my Virgin Money Giving Page.

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By Alex, November 11, 2011 6:21 pm

Hi there,

I’m Alex Ferguson (the real one – not a certain grumpy Scottish football manager!) and I’m head of marketing at Virgin Balloon Flights in the UK. I’d love you to help me raise money for Virgin Unite.

When was the last time you did something for the first time? It was probably just this morning. Was it cool, fun, interesting, surprising, scary, disgusting or totally unforgettable? Life is made up of first times and the first time is often the best. Life also tends to be more fun if you’re open to trying new things, even if they take you out of your usual comfort zone. I’ve recently become a dad for the first time – so this has opened up a whole new world of first times!

Like life, there could be some hiccups along the way and this list may change a bit (some things are more difficult to arrange than others and some substitutes), but I will definitely do 50 Firsts Times and I may even add some bonus ones along the way…making myself look extremely stupid for your viewing pleasure.

I really appreciate all your support and thank you for any donations.

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By Alex, October 18, 2011 3:11 pm

One of our top hot air balloon pilots is walking on air after winning an award for his airborne achievements and being personally congratulated by Sir Richard Branson.

Mark Shemilt, from Henley-on-Thames, was named as our Virgin Balloon Flights Star of the Year for providing exceptional customer service for passengers on his balloon rides and breaking two world records for ballooning.

The 46-year-old received the award and met Richard at a glitzy party at Kensington Roof Gardens in London last month where Stars from across the Virgin Group were rewarded for their fantastic efforts.

Mark swapped stories with Richard who became synonymous with hot air ballooning in 1987 when he was the first to fly across the Atlantic.

Mark has been ballooning since 1988 and takes people on Champagne balloon rides in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire.

He broke his first world record for duration by hovering over the French Alps in a special small balloon for over eight hours and another for distance when he flew 120 miles from Leicestershire to the Suffolk coast.

Mark said: “It was an honour to meet Sir Richard and talk about my ballooning world records with him as he knows more than anyone what’s involved and how challenging endurance flying is.

“He gave me a lot of praise and really encouraged me. He also said how much he loved hot air ballooning and that he wished he had time to do more.”

For more information about hot air ballooning experiences across the UK visit us at www.virginballoonflights.co.uk.

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By Alex, September 1, 2011 2:00 pm

Congratulations to our chief pilot and director Kenneth Karlstrom who won the prize for top pilot at the famous Lorraine Mondial Air Balloons event held near Metz, France, in late July.

The experienced Swedish flyer beat 120 other pilots by scoring more points in the competition to drop markers onto targets or ‘goals’ on the ground, which required some real precision flying.

After an excellent display in his light and nimble Virgin ‘77’ balloon, Kenneth picked up an impressive glass trophy and a massive bottle of Champagne.

The event also broke the world record for the largest line-up of inflated balloons with 343 in a row all at once leading to a spectacular mass launch.

Kenneth said he was delighted with the victory and thoroughly enjoyed the event.

Join Virgin Balloon Flights for a hot air balloon ride over Britain

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By Alex, August 22, 2011 9:23 am

A Virgin hot air balloon has floated onto TV screens in the Ukraine after an unforgettable flight at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.

A lovely film crew from Inter TV came ballooning over Bristol with us as they covered the world famous event earlier this month.

A spectacular mass launch from Ashton Court gave them some wonderful footage and they interviewed pilot Mark Simmons about life as a balloonist.

They were also treated to a sensational performance by UK Queen of Soul Beverley Knight during an exclusive airborne session for Virgin Red Room.

See the film on the Inter TV website here

Join us for your own balloon flight in Bristol

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By Alex, August 12, 2011 5:23 pm

Virgin Balloon Flights hosted a sensational performance by British soul diva Beverley Knight in a hot air balloon during the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.

Beverley’s session and interview were filmed for Virgin Red Room – Virgin.com’s online music show presented by Nissan Juke – and are now online to view here.

Her Virgin balloon took off with scores of other balloons from Bristol’s Ashton Court flew right across the city and landed an hour and twenty minutes later near Doynton, to the east.

Beverley performed forthcoming single Cuddly Toy, originally released by Roachford in 1988, from from her 7^th studio album ‘Soul UK’ produced by Grammy Award Winner Martin Terefe (James Morrison, Jason Mraz) and Future Cut (Beyonce, Lily Allen). Soul UK was released last month to widespread critical acclaim and was the week’s highest new entry on the UK album chart.

The album is a tribute to British artists who have influenced Beverley and features interpretations of songs by the likes of Soul II Soul, Omar and Jamiroqui.

During the flight Beverley described the ballooning experience to her followers on Twitter:

‘I cannot even begin to tell you how thrilling this is! @virginredroom virginballoons. Interview with @HenryOnAMission now. Xxxx’

‘Thank you @virginredroom @HenryOnAMission@VirginBalloons for making a dream come true! Xxxxx During the flight Beverley described the experience for her followers on Twitter.’

Back on the ground, Beverley said she had thoroughly enjoyed her visit to the fiesta and especially the balloon flight itself.

She said: “I enjoyed every minute of the flight and really didn’t want it to end. It was nothing like I thought it would be because I expected to hear the wind and for it to be bumpier, but it was smooth, silent and so clear up there. I would love to do it all again tomorrow,” she added.

“It was an amazing place to perform. When I was singing the sound just disappeared into the air, so you really had to listen and focus.

“Mark the pilot and the Virgin Balloon Flights crew were wonderful. They explained everything so lucidly that you always knew what was happening and we landed upright which was perfect.”

Virgin Balloon Flights pilot Mark Simmons, from nearby Melksham, is a regular participant at the famous balloon event.

He said: “Flying in the Bristol balloon fiesta is always fantastic and floating skywards at 1,000 feet with Beverley singing in the basket of our balloon was amazing. She’s an incredible performer and seemed to really enjoy the flight. It was an experience none of us will forget.”

To book a balloon flight over Bristol or beyond with Mark and the team visit the Virgin Balloon Flights website.

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By Alex, August 3, 2011 11:40 am

We’re always saying how magical it is to fly in a hot air balloon is so it was quite fitting when TV illusionist Derren Brown joined us for a sky-high sightseeing tour.

Derren, who has performed various stage shows, television specials and series such as Trick or Treat,  took a hot air balloon ride from Henley-on-Thames on Saturday  evening.

Derren Brown tweets in our Virgin balloon

Flying with pilot Mark Shemilt and eventually landing in Reading, Derren described the balloon flight as a ‘totally dreamy’ experience.

“I had no idea what to expect and the whole thing was fantastic. Utterly serene, totally dreamy, and even a couple who were nervous beforehand loved the whole thing. Thank you for a terrific evening,” he said.

Derren tweeted several times during the flight, including when they drifted over Uri Geller’s house, and after a comfortable landing he praised Mark for his piloting skills.

Mark said: “I’m delighted Derren enjoyed the flight. It was quite funny as other passengers gradually realised who he was and started nudging each other. He chatted to everyone and told us about his new show. It was a pleasure to meet him.”

Visit Derren Brown’s Blog or follow Derren on Twitter.

Book your own magical hot air balloon ride here