Hold tight, lad! Wallace & Gromit’s moon rocket lifts off for charity

Today, Tuesday 29 September Wallace & Gromit’s Moon Rocket launched over Bristol for a grand morning out.

The famous duos very first invention, as seen in A Grand Day Out has been reinvented into a special shaped hot air balloon to raise money for charity.

The bright orange balloon took off from Bristol Harbourside this morning for its maiden flight, with Aardman co-founder and Creative Director, Peter Lord present to carry out last-minute inspections.

The balloon was created by Exclusive Ballooning who collaborated with Aardman on the design before sponsoring the balloon in support of Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal, the dedicated charity for Bristol Children’s Hospital.

The iconic design will now fly high around the world in support of critically ill and sick children across Bristol, the South West and South Wales.

For 25 years, The Grand Appeal has partnered with Aardman, who generously allow the multi-Academy Award®-winning Wallace & Gromit characters to spearhead the charity’s fundraising.

Peter Lord commented: “Being based in Bristol how could we not love the sight of hot air balloons and now here we are, launching one of Wallace & Gromit’s very own contraptions. It is quite something to see one of our models standing at 23 metres tall!

“Our partnership with The Grand Appeal is something we are all so proud of and to now launch this flying spectacle to help raise money for the children, families and staff at Bristol Children’s Hospital is something truly special.

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: ““My wife and I were at Bristol Children’s Hospital in 2018 with our eight day old daughter Roma after she developed some breathing issues. Fortunately, all was well and Roma is already crazy about hot air balloons, rockets and Gromit so she really is going to love this! Whilst in the hospital overnight, I was inspired by the fantastic balloon mural that adorns the corridors and I realised we could really help The Grand Appeal raise some serious funds. The charity does such crucial work valued by so many people at difficult times, it was a no brainer. We decided we would privately sponsor the balloon in full and it was built in complete secrecy.

“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”.

From balloon flights, workplace and school visits, tethered rides and displays to sponsorship and fundraising stunts, the Moon Rocket will further diversify funding streams for the charity - generating vital funds to support the patients, families and staff at Bristol Children’s Hospital and its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Michael’s Hospital.

Since 1995, The Appeal has raised over £70 million to fund life-saving medical equipment, pioneering research, three family accommodation houses, 20 specialist support staff and a programme of art, music and play.

Helen Haskell, Wallace & Gromit’s 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.

“As the regional specialist centre for sick children , Bristol Children’s Hospital treats children from all over the South West and South Wales but Bristol is our home, and how lovely it is today to bring together Wallace & Gromit, the Grand Appeal and balloons to help us to continue to support sick children across the region.”

Those who spot or capture the rocket in flight are encouraged to post their photos and videos on social media using the hashtag #spottherocket to help raise awareness of the balloon and the thousands of sick children it will support.

Facts about the Moon Rocket & the balloon:

• The balloon is modelled on the Moon Rocket. One of Wallace & Gromit’s first inventions which featured in their first animated film, A Grand Day Out. The film took 6 years to produce and was first transmitted 30 years ago, on Christmas Eve 1990.
• Wallace built the balloon in the basement of 62 Wallaby Street over a bank holiday weekend, after realising there wasn’t any cheese in the house and remembering the moon is supposedly made of cheese.
• It took nine months to build the balloon, the same time it takes Parmesan to age
• It has an internal volume of 80,000 cubic feet – if it were made from Wensleydale it would weigh around 924 tonnes
• Although it can’t reach the moon, it can safely fly to 30,000ft or more although the pilot would need oxygen (and tea!)
• The balloon can climb at 1,000 feet per minute – if it could reach the moon, it would take two years, four months, twelve days and thirteen hours
• The fabric is a very special lightweight material making this one of the lightest special shape balloons in the world

For more information on Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal and the Moon Rocket balloon visit www.grandappeal.org.uk and follow the balloons adventures using the hashtag #spottherocket