ON behalf of the Lions and Round Table clubs in Tavistock, we would like to express our grateful thanks to everyone in the town and surrounding area that helped us make this year?s Westcountry Balloon Fiesta and Day at the Races event a success.
Without this support after such a wet August, we could not have put on an event this year ? their help really was that important.
Sincere thanks to John Dawe and Miranda Toop for allowing us to use the fiesta site at Crowndale, to Crowndale Recreation Association and their member clubs for the use of their land and to Tavistock Football Club for providing their facilities for the balloon teams? use.
Very special thanks also to local farmers Martin Duddon and John Perry for allowing use of their fields to the west of the town at such short notice for balloon launches ? and to all the local farmers and landowners who made the balloon teams feel so welcome once again.
It is worth noting that the balloonists, led by flight director Lou Watts, publicly proclaimed our local farmers as being the best in the country. Without this support, we would not have achieved 92 flights and 116 inflations over the weekend.
Thanks must go to those balloon pilots who showed superb airmanship in managing to fly from the fiesta arena on the Saturday evening in what were very difficult and testing flying conditions.
Early indications are that a substantial amount will have been raised for our beneficiary charities ? Breakthrough Breast Cancer and the Chestnut Appeal. To everyone who helped in any way and who has not been mentioned above, an enormous and heartfelt thank you ? we couldn?t have done it without you!
Peter Harding and Mike Hooper
Tavistock Round Table and the Lions Club of Tavistock