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Wallace and Gromit’s moon rocket makes maiden balloon flight
The team at The Grand Appeal say that they are “over the moon” with their new hot air balloon in the shape of Wallace and Gromit’s famous rocket.
The balloon took off from Lloyds Amphitheatre for its maiden flight on Tuesday morning and will now be flown at events across the world to raise money for the dedicated charity for Bristol Children’s Hospital.
First seen in A Grand Day Out, the rocket has been reinvented into a special shaped hot air balloon by Exclusive Ballooning who collaborated with Aardman on the design.
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A giant plaster can be seen on one side of the new balloon, with its unique registration a nod to Wallace’s love of cheese: G-EDAM.
For 25 years, The Grand Appeal has partnered with Aardman, raising millions of pounds to support critically ill and sick children across Bristol, the South West and South Wales.
Andrew Holly, director of Exclusive Ballooning set his sights on building a hot air balloon for the charity after his daughter, Roma was treated at Bristol Children’s Hospital in 2018.
He said: “We are so excited to be able to launch it into the Bristol skies and will be working with Aardman and The Grand Appeal over the coming years to raise as much money and awareness as we can for the charity, directly benefitting the families of Bristol.”
Helen Haskell from The Grand Appeal added: “What a fantastic way to recognise our 25-year partnership with Aardman by launching this unique feat of engineering thanks to Exclusive Ballooning.
“We are over the moon that they have been able to turn our fun-loving duo’s contraption into this iconic hot air balloon.”
Main photo and video by Martin Booth
Read more: Key workers treated to hot air balloon flights to say thank you
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