A Royal Air Force Voyager based at RAF Brize Norton has taken flight with 291 special passengers on board. The Flight of The Giraffes saw 291 toy giraffes fly as passengers on the Voyager aircraft, filling every available passenger seat on board. Each giraffe was sponsored by individuals or groups to raise money for the Giraffes on Tour charity.
Giraffes On Tour has seen several cuddly giraffes fly in RAF aircraft over the years raising money in aid of Great Ormand Street Hospital, in memory of Louise Conway who sadly lost her battle with Leukaemia in 2013.
The flight took place on a Wednesday in April, as a routine air-to-air refuelling sortie. Sponsorship of the giraffes came from far and wide, including local schools, RAF bases, community groups, radio stations, and individuals.
Voyager pilot Flight Lieutenant Mark Scott organised the flight and flew the giraffes. He said:“The idea came to me when I saw Giraffes on Tour in the news. My daughter also has a toy giraffe who happens to have come with me on a few trips around the world, so I got in touch with Ian from Giraffes on Tour and pitched him the idea to fill an RAF Voyager, all 291 seats with sponsored giraffes to raise money for the charity. Today we took the giraffes on an air-to-air refuelling sortie, which we regularly fly in support of the RAF’s fast jet force. We had Typhoons and F-35s joining us in formation as receiver aircraft, all observed by the giraffes. For anyone tracking the flight they will have seen that we also drew a heart in the sky around the area where we were operating as a symbol of what we were doing. The whole flight went as planned and I’ve been thrilled to bits with how it went.”
Ian Conway, Director of Giraffes On Tour said: “My daughter Louise had a toy giraffe called ‘Geoffrey’ while she was in hospital at Great Ormand Street and that’s how the idea started. Since we started, we’ve had giraffes flying all over the world and it’s been fantastic. It’s something that brings light, and joy and it means a lot to us that so much money has been raised with so many people who’ve been involved. Louise was about fun and seeing all these giraffes flying across the world would have brought her huge joy”
The hope is now to return each giraffe to those who sponsored them, knowing that the giraffes took part in a crucial element of RAF operational training, and helped raise thousands of pounds for charity. The flight raised over £4000 for Great Ormand Street Hospital with the total still rising as extra donations come in.
