“As the Virgin Unite Insider for Virgin Balloon Flights, the opportunities to use ‘business as a force for good’ are endless. When the chance of going to South Africa with Sir Richard Branson and his connection trip guests came my way courtesy of Virgin Unite, of course I grabbed it by the (Buffalo) horns and got packing!

A jam packed schedule allowed me to meet some of the most inspiring, motivated and dedicated people I’ve met in my lifetime; The Branson Centre Entrepreneurs, Jean Oelwang (The CEO of Virgin Unite), Dr Taddy Blecher (a pioneer of the free education movement in South Africa) and of course Sir Richard himself alongside his business mogul guests.

After a long flight with the superb Virgin Atlantic, a hotel check in and a stimulating meet and greet, I accompanied Jean, the connection trip guests and the Virgin Unite team to Newtown arriving at the Sophiatown Restaurant where we were delighted by African cuisine and guest speaker Dr Taddy Blecher. Post lunch we marvelled at Inner City Craft Initiatives and met ‘Prince’ an up and coming South African jeweller who designed & created the most interesting pieces of ‘junk’ jewellery. Who can resist a bracelet made out of a fork?!

From here we crossed townships to Constitution Hill. By far one of Johannesburg’s most moving sights. Originally a fort during the Boer War it later became an infamous prison housing many of South Africa’s most well-known resistance leaders and is now home to the Constitutional Court of South Africa. After a quick change we headed off to the Orient Restaurant and chatted over exquisite Chinese food before listening to more inspiring guest speakers.

Early the next morning guests enjoyed breakfast with Sir Richard before we travelled to Mzansi Designers Studio to meet Lesego Malatsi (a previous Branson centre entrepreneur) and saw his fashion house in full swing. We were later treated to seeing his first boutique shop in Maponya Mall too. We also experienced another previous Branson Centre entrepreneurs thriving business in Diepkloof, Soweto. A recycling plant started by Tshepo Nawane.

Inspired once more by the sheer determination and drive to create employment for local communities and to start businesses from scratch, we chatted to both Lesego and Tshepo en route to the grand opening of the Virgin Active Gym in Maponya. Greeted with steel drums, stilt walkers and Sir Richard, this feast of colour and sound gave the gym opening the atmosphere it most definitely deserved.

Departing the swanky new gym we lunched at Velo and chatted with Marious Minnie, the CEO of Southpoint and a partner and investor of the Branson Centre (BC) before crossing over to the BC to offer mentoring to the current entrepreneurs.

The pièce de résistance of the day was of course the Screw Business As Usual booklaunch at ‘Randlords’ where Richard spoke about his book alongside African children’s choirs and pure cultured entertainment. You can see my video montage of the #SBAU book launch here on our YouTube page.

After supper and wine back at the hotel with Richard and guests, it was off to bed before an early start to wave off the guests, Richard and Jean to Ulusaba for the next step of their trip. You can see Richards Blog about their game drive here. I spent my last day in South Africa with some of the Virgin Media Pioneers sightseeing and taking in some of South Africa’s most beautiful animals.

THANK YOU to Virgin Unite, Sir Richard, Jean and the rest of the team for the most amazing experience of my life. A trip I will treasure in my heart forever.”

Kirsty x

53 year old Richard Shaw of Batley, West Yorkshire took to the skies recently in his Dudek (Polish) Reaction, a 31 square metre reflex paramotoring wing, and met one of our lovely Virgin hot air balloons up there!

The father of four, who has been paragliding/paramotoring since 2003, took off from a farmer’s field in Snaith near Selby with three other pilots before seeing us in the sky. Richard has already flown in a balloon with us from York so has seen the beauty of ballooning from two wonderful different viewpoints.

Recently becoming semi-retired from his role as an electronics engineer Richard has spent all his time and efforts organising the British Paramotoring Championships and has this year taken on the job of team leader to the British Squad for International and World Championships abroad.

Speaking of his encounter with Virgin Balloon Flights over the Yorkshire landscape Richard said ‘I’m just interested in all things that fly!’, how could he pass on an opportunity to take these fabulous snaps?

You too can take to the skies with Virgin Balloon Flights from York or any other of our 100+ launch sites, for further details please visit www.virginballoonflights.co.uk or call us on 0844 8448070.

Well, Alex’s challenge to do 50 First Times in Five Days for Virgin Unite leading up to the Virgin Social Marathon today (16th November) is certainly allowing him to develop his skills!

His next 10 #FirstTimes have included ballroom dancing, a Zumba class, flower arranging, knitting, having his legs waxed, a facial, a spray tan, working in a call centre, attending a fitness class and a work out at an outdoor gym! Follow his progress on Twitter @alexrferg @virginballoons

See the latest pics below:

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) has kept me entertained!

My next 5 #FirstTimes have included a 10 mile run, held a chicken, had an ice bath, drove a tractor and played an electric guitar! Follow my progress on Twitter @alexrferg @virginballoons

See my latest pics below:

We’ve donned our very best pink attire once again here at Virgin Balloon Flights in support of  ‘Breast Cancer Campaign’. Donating £2 per person to parade in pink at our HQ in Telford, our staff went all out to support this fantastic charity.

From pink shoes to pink nails to pink tutu’s we’ve officially rocked the hot pink look all day long hoping our efforts will make a huge difference to someone somewhere who is supported by the Breast Cancer Campaign.

Wear It Pink is currently supporting 101 research projects worth over £17.2 million in 34 centres of excellence across the UK and Ireland, so every penny counts! You too can make a donation here CLICK HERE TO DONATE giving just £2 buys 40 microscope slides and £1000 provides the basic equipment that a researcher needs to carry out scientific experiments.

Our staff here at Virgin Balloon Flights HQ are getting into the spirit of All-Hallows’-Eve with eccentric costumes, pumpkin carving and balloons of different sort (orange and black ones to be precise)!

To see the full Halloween album from the day visit our Facebook page www.facebook.com/virginballoonflights

With Halloween marking the last day before our Christmas campaign begins we’re taking full advantage of the spookfest before our lovely customers purchase our hot air balloon rides for their loved ones festive gifts.

Why not check out our Christmas offers at www.virginballoonflights.co.uk where you can save up to 40% on selected national balloon flight vouchers and get a FREE box of Montezuma chocolates (terms and conditions apply).

One of our lovely Staffordshire launch sites Amerton Farm & Craft Centre, has a brand new addition to their farmyard family! Following the noise down into the farm, you’ll meet Marge the donkey.

Marge was born a year ago in Fradswell and she has moved to Amerton Farm to join the ponies and other animals in the farmyard. She has a lovely nature and is loving the attention she is getting.

Moyra McLaughlin, manager of Amerton Farm, said: “We always enjoy having new animals in the farmyard and to have a donkey like Marge is even more of an event. We hope visitors old and new will come along and visit her, she will definitely put a smile on your face! We are hoping that children will be able to enjoy a donkey ride during the school holidays next year.”

For further information regarding flights from Amerton Farm with Virgin Balloon Flights simply visit the launch site online or call Virgin Balloon Flights on 0844 844 8070.

Photo Marge aged 1 and 9 year old Elian Lawty

Entrepreneur Marcus Shaw from just outside Eye, Suffolk, spent the end of last month with his camera pointed at one of our lovely red balloons in Cornwallis.

The balloon ride passengers, Marcus’ mother-in-law Judy, and husband Steve, were celebrating Steve’s 50^th birthday. Due to weather cancellations, the celebrations were somewhat delayed, but of course most definitely worth the wait.

“The flight took place in Norfolk on a beautiful Friday morning  (30th September). They really could not have had a better day, the weather was perfect! The light was fantastic for photography; there was even some low lying mist which made it even more magical. The preparations and getting ready started at 7am with take-off about 8am, about an hour later the balloon landed in a field just outside the town of Wymondham,” said Marcus.

Marcus, married to Natalie and father to three girls, took the plunge just 12 months ago to turn his keen interest in  photography into a professional service at affordable prices specialising in Portrait and Wedding Photography.

The full series of balloon flight photographs can be seen at www.marcusshawphotography.co.uk on Marcus’ blog. You can also follow Marcus’ ventures on his Facebook and Twitter pages.

You too can experience an airborne experience with Virgin Balloon Flights from Cornwallis or any other of our 100+ launch sites in England, Scotland & Wales. Simply call 0844  844 8070 or visit www.virginballoonflights.co.uk

Virgin Balloon Flights are supporting an up and coming charity youth centre aimed at young adults in memory  of local 21 year old Danny Reynolds.

Sadly Danny lost his life as a passenger in a car accident last November, when the young driver was above the legal alcohol limit. Danny’s mother Di, has since set the wheels in motion to start the Danny Reynolds centre in Stafford that will be aimed at young adults aged 13-25. The centre will include the following facilities:

A free gym facility with a personal trainer to include self-defence classes by a qualified instructor.

A drop in centre – providing advice and signposting for benefits, education, training , voluntary work and housing advice.

Chill out zone – to give young people alternative options to alcohol, pubs, clubs and drugs, anti-social behaviour and links to crime.

Training Days – drugs awareness, alcohol awareness, speed awareness, independent living skills, sexual health awareness and any further accreditation training from external agencies.

A free childcare facility – aimed to provide young parents in this age group with a facility that is free including the socially deprived to enable them to access centre facilities.

Youth church – aimed to be run by young people in this age group to include them in local communities and provide them with pastoral care.

Quiet Room – a safe environment for young people to access after bereavement, which will include free usage for external agencies to use for counselling in all areas including unemployment and financial issues.

On the 28^th October, a Reggae night will be held at The Westway pub in Stafford to start raising funds for the centre; this will be where supporters get the chance to bag a pair of Virgin Balloon Flights which can be used at any of our 100+ launch sites in England, Scotland and Wales.

For further information on how to support this cause please email Di Reynolds on reynol509@aol.com. For information regarding balloon flights visit www.virginballoonflights.co.uk .