Trying to bring together all ones passions and make a career out of them is what everyone dreams of. It took me a while but eventually it hit me like a lightbulb popping- why cant we travel around the world making children in difficult circumstances smile by teaching them something fun like circus? Bow and I have specialist skills, we are both performers and love working with children, so the concept of Balloon Circus was born.
When I first moved to Bangkok, after making my name in the corporate circuit, I was lucky enough to be invited to do balloons with Clown Eckie at Kids Day Out for disabled children, organised by the Bangkok Rotary Club. Soon after I met with the American Women’s Club and they booked me to perform at Baan Poomwaet and Baan Mahamek homes for boys for their Christmas shows.

They had so much fun that I thought lets do this around the whole of Thailand and visit as many orphanages as we can – its was about time to give something back to the country I have called home for the last 14 years. Little did I realise the results of the journey I was about to embark on!

So where do you start? I have to give credit to the Social enterprise advice line from the UK Government site, they helped so much with advice, links to people and organisations for funding etc. Then I set up the kickstarter and without the help from all my amazing friends and their incredibly generous donations this would still be a pipe dream.

Kettlemag wrote a lovely article on our upcoming project, then the highlight for me was our first help from our corporate sponsors. This is where I learned help is out there you just have to ask! I am still dumbstruck by their generosity.

Qualatex donated all the balloons for the whole trip.

Beard Juggling & Oddballs Juggling not only equipment for us to teach with but as much as we could carry to give out in circus packs for each orphanage.

British Airways saved the day at the last minute when a few days before I flew I realised I had so much stuff it would be way over the weight limit. They not only gave me extra weight for free but as a surprise upgraded me as they loved the project.

On reaching Thailand I thought in order to raise awareness, a couple of fundraisers would be a good start. I was in luck, in 2 weeks was to be the annual St George’s Society day at the British Club, Bangkok. They invited me to hold the raffle but of course I had no prizes so spent a manic week calling everyone I could think of who might like to donate.

Indus Bangkok & May Veggie Home donated dinners for 2, Bangkok Community Theatre – tickets to their next production, In Gallery Khoa Lak – a painting and even St George’s themselves offered Boots hampers and other small presents. BAMBI magazine & Krabi magazine both wrote articles. Then our last fundraiser came from the most unlikely source. The Big Bike Week, Krabi invited us to balloons, we even had the the bikers and bands on stage leaving with balloon hats and helicopters!

Now we were ready to get on the road.

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