There were no set-up fees and we created our school page for a seven-day race in a matter of minutes. You are essentially organising a computer game, with virtual balloons designed to respond to real weather conditions. Once the race begins, you can track the balloons on Google Maps and zoom in to find out more about where they are.

We publicised the event widely and sold 139 balloons in just a few days. In the run up to the race, purchasers were able to personalise their balloons with colours, patterns and text. They could also alter flight parameters such as helium content, rubber thickness and shape to suit predicted real-weather conditions. On the day of the launch, the children were really excited and we had a last-minute surge in sales as parents bought balloons on their phones outside the gates. I opened the school early and invited everyone to watch the balloons go up on a big screen in the hall. There was a real buzz around the school, and the children’s awareness of geography increased as they logged in to monitor the progress of their balloons over the week.

Not everyone wants to swim Windermere or climb Ben Nevis, so a prize-based fundraising system that works on your laptop or mobile may be the way forward. We’ll be making the virtual balloon race an annual event!’

• Tom Garner, headteacher, Fairhaven Primary School, Stourbridge, West Midlands (306 pupils)

For more information on virtual balloon racing, go to ecoracing.co

More on events and activities

• Step-by-step event guides
• Virtual fundraising
• Earn while you learn – educational fundraisers

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