THE LILY Mae Foundation is inviting people to join its virtual balloon race to help raise funds so they can support beavered parents.
The Balsall Common charity have harnessed the latest technology to set up the online event, which invites people to buy a “balloon”, personalise it, and then track its progress on release day, Easter Sunday (April 4).
The “balloons”, alongside hundreds of others for organisations across the country, will be released from Jerusalem at noon and families can track it in the simulated race, where everything else including weather conditions are real.
For just £3 per entry, competitors can create their own personalised balloon – deciding how much helium to fill it with, how thick the rubber should be and its colour, shape and pattern. Each one can also be labelled.
The Lily Mae Foundation was created by Amy and Ryan Jackson following the death of their daughter in 2010.
Funds raised will go towards providing memory boxes, sibling support packs and grandparent memory making kits to families following the tragic loss of a baby to stillbirth, neonatal death, miscarriage or medical termination.
The event has been organised by Geoff Heaps, Lily Mae’s grandad and chair to the trustees at the foundation.
He said: “The current pandemic has severely affected our ability to carry out our usual fundraising activities and events that support our work with bereaved parents and families living locally.
“Over the past year we have been creative and organised a range of online fundraising activities that have helped to bring in the funds that we desperately need.
“We have seen families and businesses buying balloons and will be holding their own competition within our race.
“The more balloons that are bought via our link means that more funds will be raised in support of The Foundation and our work with parents and families, living locally, who have lost a precious baby.”
There are two sets of prizes on offer for those whose balloon travels the furthest.
First prize in the national race is £500 cash, second prize is an Apple iPad 10 and there are 10 £10 book tokens.
For Lily Mae supporters first prize is an Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition, second prize is a £25 Amazon gift card and third prize is a £10 Amazon voucher.
For more or to buy a balloon visit https://ecoracing.co/user/page/1461
