BBM&L Latest News

As you are probably aware, the BBM&L have had a ballooning exhibit at the West Berkshire Museum (used to be the Newbury Museum) for over 25 years. Over the Summer this has been revamped and brought up to date, and following the wishes of the Museum, has focussed on local West Berkshire balloons and pilots, as well as the history of ballooning. To commemorate the make-over, and bring it to the public's attention, there will be a Grand Launch, to coincide with the Icicle Meet.

We would like to invite Friends to the launch of the new exhibit, which will be on Friday 4th January 2008, from 6.00pm - 8.00pm at the West Berkshire Museum.

The BBM&L have, along with the West Berkshire Museum, updated their display at this museum. West Berkshire were pleased to be working with the BBM&L to enhance what is already with them and give the displays a fresher look. Elizabetth Hess & Lizzy Shipton along with Jennifer and Richard D’Alton have worked on the display to justify it’s presence within the West Berkshire Museum and have secured a place for it. Jim Hayden has produced a DVD of Berkshire ballooning items to go with it.

Inflation day is go! It will be in Kirkby Lonsdale near Kendal in Cumbria on the 10th of May 2008. More details will follow later this month.

This year saw the fortieth anniversary of Bristol Belle. Registered in August 1967 it was originally flown on the 9th of July from Weston-on-the-Green in Oxfordshire. As you can see by the Trailrope cover the 40th Anniversary was celebrated with good weather.

The BBM&L are pleased to announce that Keith Pennock has been awarded a Citation for his service to the Museum. Many people will know Keith through ballooning and his travels. For the last 18 years he has been a “Friend” to the museum, being totally committed and enthusiastic in his involvement. He rarely missed the Council meetings, travelling the 200 mile round trip from Southend, and his devotion to filling garment orders for events was unsurpassed.

Your webmaster met Keith at a council meeting, and was impressed in his ability to deviate from the item being discussed and persuade everyone to deviate as well! On Inflation Days, he was always in the first batch of volunteers to do the duties of catching the early birds and sort prizes for the awards at the end. I found his enthusiasm infectious and his ability to find typing errors on the site second to none.

Keith will be missed and we wish him well as he takes his retirement from us. He will be a hard act to follow, but the meetings will be less lively.

The Airship Heritage Trust have informed us that they have been having talks with the RNAS Yeovilton Museum about moving their collection to a dedicated home within the museum. We wish them luck with this venture. As of the 30th of October, these were ongoing.

The Museum has acquired a facility for sorting and storing smaller artefacts and books for sorting and passing on to collection holders within the museum.

The BBM&L are pleased to announce that they have acquired the Trans Pacific balloon Capsule from Lindstrand Balloons, for more details go to the Acquisitions page on this website.