The British Balloon Museum & Library are holding their Annual General Meeting on 26th October at 11.00 at the Mercure Newbury Elcot Hotel (The Elcot), near Newbury, Berkshire, followed by a scrumptious three course meal..
The Museum is extremely honoured that Martin Harris has agreed to be the post-prandial speaker and tell us a few tales of his exploits over the last 50 years.
Martin Harris was first drawn into active ballooning at the 1965 Daily Telegraph International Balloon Race, starting from Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire on a beautiful summer day, when this event was obviously much more attractive than studying for a degree in the nearby university!
For nearly half a century he used his specialist meteorological knowledge to teach aviation meteorologists, and to help to support the emerging sport of hot air ballooning in the UK, and he later became an expert on safe airship operations.
After supporting numerous ballooning epics from the first trans-Alpine hot air flight in 1972 to the Round-the-World-Balloon Races, he more recently supplied the meteorological briefings for the 2010 Gordon Bennett Race and for the 2013 Queen’s Cup Race.
Meet in the bar for coffee or a drink before, and we sit down at about 12.30pm. The menu looks wonderful and the speaker is brilliant.
Of course there will be an Auction after lunch of some exquisite balloon related items, plus the Auction of Promises where some items have absolutely nothing to do with balloons or airships.
This really will be a Sunday afternoon with a difference, so book your tickets for the luncheon now online here. £24 per head is jolly good value for the entertainment and a proper lunch from the Elcot’s new five star chef.
The Elcot Hotel has had a face lift since last year. The address is
Mercure Elcot Park Hotel, Elcot, Newbury RG20 8NJ
You can also book by sending a cheque made out to BBM&L, to Jennifer d’Alton, Manderville, Links Road, Amble, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE65 0SB
