A Virtual Balloon Race for Ukrainian Refugees
24/09/2024
The Bolton branch of The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) recently ran a Rentaballoorace.com 100% eco-friendly, non-gambling virtual balloon race which launched from Mariupol, one of the most devastated cities.
Unrelenting graphic accounts of helpless civilians trapped in Mariupol and other war-torn Ukrainian towns and cities have galvanised the urgency to finance and supply medicines, medical equipment and food packs to those tragically still trapped by the conflict with Russia.
To ensure success, members of Bolton branch, led by chair, Yaroslaw Tymchyshyn, worked tirelessly with the national AUGB office in London and its charity partners in the Help Ukraine Emergency Appeal (Ukrainian Red Cross, WHO and Caritas Ukraine) to make this fundraising project as successful as possible.
“Those Ukrainians who are still left in Ukraine sheltering from Russian aggression, have never been in more need of help than now. So, by supporting this amazing fundraiser we can provide the medical supplies and food stocks that are vitally needed,” commented Yaroslaw
Instead of using dangerous latex balloons that kill wildlife and create waste, RaceforUkraine used the highly regarded and unique rentaballoonrace.com platform. A world leading system, the race provides a 100% eco-friendly seven-day computer simulation where everything is real except the balloon. The software uses current live weather data to determine the progress of each balloon and every entry can be tracked on Google Maps and satellites once launched. Represented by mathematical and physics algorithms each balloon can be decorated with colours, patterns and text, plus flight parameters such as helium volume, rubber thickness and shape can be altered to aid winning a prize.
A Dublin based organisation that’s already used the race platform is sexual abuse charity, OneinFour. John Ryan, their fundraising manager was excited to trial the ground-breaking product when commenting, ”this is a genuinely unique software solution to our Covid19 grounded events. It’s being used globally now and has great references and feedback – so what’s not to like?”
The virtual race fundraiser augmented existing programs such as the Help Ukraine Emergency Appeal on behalf of AUGB affinity churches and community organisations. Almost £2m has already been sent to their charity partners in Ukraine to provide compassionate aid to those suffering from the war. AUGB has also worked with the UK government to help develop the sponsorship scheme and to shape information and advice for Ukrainians coming to the UK.
For more information, media enquiries or sponsorship opportunities, please contact
AUGB Bolton chair, Yaroslaw Tymchyshyn