“When Geoffrey giraffe feels an emptiness in his heart, he sets out in search for happiness. The friends he meets and the adventures they share help them to feel joy,
find companionship and experience love.”
Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. Registered charity no. 1160024.
Andrew Oxenham via Michael Haynes 6/6/2022
Geoffrey was taken up in a hot air balloon 'Window on the World'. I rushed out of my hotel room into the car park at 0515am to try and catch one of the teams flying their balloon on the Friday morning. I met David and Judith Usill who after telling a brief story about Geoffrey kindly accepted the challenge to take Geoffrey flying that morning. Ten minutes later, I followed them to Ragley Hall to see if I could catch them. The only information I got was that it was in a balloon showing the map of the world. Luckily for me, I did spot it and took various photos from the ground I was finally re-united with Geoffrey back at the hotel as the balloon launch for the evening was cancelled. Here is the itinerary of Geoffrey's adventure that morning, including the photos that David sent to me. Balloon – G-WOTW Planet Earth. Pilot - David Usill Crew – Judith Usill, Andrew Oxenham, Andrew Mason and Robin Plunkett. Flight from Ragley Hall to Grafton Flyford Take off 06:30 Landing 07:34 Distance flown 6.02 NM Photos by Andrew Oxenham David also mentioned that the photos will be in their club magazine with a link to Louise's justgiving.com fund raising page.💜🦒 I would personally like to thank David, Judith and the whole team for making this happen at short notice....you are all stars. 💜🦒💜🦒💜🦒💜
We have seen some fantastic adventures that Geoffrey has been on over the last few years and most of these if not all have been created in taking an opportunity at short notice, and sometimes you cannot plan these moments. On Friday morning I got out of my bed from my hotel near Ragley Hall at 5am, knowing that some of the balloonists were staying in the same hotel. I went into the car park and approached one of these balloonists, asking if they could take Geoffrey up with them that morning. They said they would, and the only information I was given was that their balloon was a map of the world.
I went over to Ragley Hall to try and capture this balloon and below is the photo I captured, only by chance, it was a balloon that Geoffrey was on board. I am still waiting for the photos to be be sent to me showing the adventure Geoffrey had on that morning from inflating the balloon to landing on a field away from Ragley Hall
But later on in the evening I found out that that balloon along with others was taking part in a competition that morning. So after me telling the story of Louise, they went out of their way to continue Geoffrey's adventures.
We have a great team here and without you these adventures would not happen, but it is as individuals you have to make this happen.
