VIDEO: Giant banana launched into space

Staff at Go Ape Sherwood Pines near Edwinstowe have launched a giant banana into space to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer.
Go Ape launch giant banana into space for charityGo Ape launch giant banana into space for charity
Go Ape launch giant banana into space for charity

The team launched a helium filled meteorological banana balloon from Sherwood Pines into space with the flight lasting almost three hours and ascending to over 32,000m (105000ft), where there was less than 1% of the earth’s atmosphere left above it.

Part of the company’s ‘Big Banana Relay’ fundraising initiative, the balloon was armed with tracking devices and a camera and calculations were made in advance to map a flight plan which would take the banana to a landing site as close to the next destination on the relay route of Go Ape Thetford as possible.

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Jamie Marshall, Site Manager at Go Ape Sherwood Pines, explained: “When there was not enough air to support the balloon it burst and the banana and camera fell back to earth using a parachute.”

Go Ape launch giant banana into space for charityGo Ape launch giant banana into space for charity
Go Ape launch giant banana into space for charity

Go Ape is the UK’s leading forest adventure and staff from the 28 sites across the country have devised the ‘Big Banana Relay’ to raise much-needed funds for charity.

The relay will see the ‘Big Banana’ travelling a total of 1,823 miles across the UK with the Go Ape gorillas using the quirkiest forms of travel possible.

The relay got underway at Leeds Castle on Saturday 14th June and the ‘Big Banana’ made its way to Go Ape Sherwood Pines where the tribe took it on a space travel adventure to reach the next destination on the relay route of Go Ape Thetford in Suffolk, near Brandon.

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Rebecca Mayhew, Co-Founder and Director of Go Ape, said: “We are proud to support Teenage Cancer Trust and that our Go Ape Team have launched this fantastic fundraising campaign the #BigBananaRelay to raise money and have fun while the ‘Big Banana’ travels 1,823 miles around our Go Ape locations in the UK.”

Kate Collins, Director of Fundraising for Teenage Cancer Trust said: “Go Ape are putting the fun back into fundraising and events like the Big Banana Relay will support our work in improving the quality of life and chances of survival for young people with cancer aged 13 to 24.”

Teenage Cancer Trust has been selected by Go Ape staff as its main charity for 2014. Go Ape hopes to raise funds to help build more Teenage Cancer Trust units in NHS hospitals, maintain existing ones, fund specialist nursing and youth support staff and support the free cancer awareness sessions that are delivered in schools, colleges and universities across the UK.

Donations to the ‘Big Banana Relay’ to support Teenage Cancer Trust can be made at https://www.justgiving.com/Goapesherwood/

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