Balloon blowers wanted for latest mad charity challenge

Stuart Kettell has already spent hours in a glass box, run in a hamster wheel and pushed a sprout all the way up Mount Snowdon with his nose in a decade of charity challenges.

And in his latest crazy offering he will attempt to pop 10,000 balloons with a pogo stick over 36 hours in aid of Macmillan Cancer research and Myton Hospices.

Stuart is a self confessed madman and has raised nearly £50,000 for the cancer charities over the past 10 years.

But before he can get hopping in Coventry’s Broadgate Centre this Friday, he is calling for help blow up all 10,000 of the balloons.

A blowing up session will run on Thursday and all help is being welcomed by the team.

“I will need to pop a balloon every eight seconds and that is not allowing for a break,” he said.

“I’m really excited to complete the balloon challenge but at the last minute we are short of people to blow up all the balloons needed.

“We need at least 10 volunteers there at any one moment in the day to make it happen. If we don’t get enough people helping then the challenge can’t happen! We urgently need more help.

“If you work locally, perhaps you can spare half an hour to blow up balloons, or maybe you can bring a bunch of office mates down in their lunch break to help us.”

Despite being no stranger to putting himself through his paces for charity, Stuart is faced with an extra challenge this time around after being diagnosed with a leaking mitral valve to his heart which leaves him easily short of breath.

To offer help on Thursday 16th July, contact Stuart via his Facebook page here or join the team at

Broadgate on Thursday.

The pogo stick challenge will start on July 17 and continue into the weekend as he attempts to pop all 10,00 balloons.

TEXT STUK75 to 70070 to donate to the cause, or visit his webpage to find out more.