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A Celebration of the Space Shuttle Programme - Lifting Horizons
Tales of what it was like to fly the Space Shuttle captivated the hundred guests attending fly2help's charity dinner in London on Thursday 24th March.
Guest speaker, Colonel Rick Searfoss, a former Shuttle pilot renowned for his moving and inspiring talks, gave guests a superbly 'human focused' presentation on what it was like to be involved in the Space Shuttle Programme in the setting of the Royal Aeronautical Society's HQ.
Rick Searfoss shared personal photographs capturing his time as an astronaut, taking the diners all the way from launch to landing the Space Shuttle. He also shared highly emotive video footage, filmed by his wife and daughter after he returned from one of his missions, which gave a unique insight into the feeling and emotions of life as an astronaut.
Funds raised from ticket sales for the dinner will go towards fly2help's work in taking seriously ill children into the air. As fly2help's CEO said, "We knew Rick's talk would be good but we never realised he'd be such a kindred spirit with what our charity does."
Unique space and aviation memorabilia was also auctioned off at the dinner to raise funds for fly2help. CEO Chris Hadlow commissioned aviation artist Richard Wong to paint a stunning vista of the Shuttle in orbit next to the International Space Station which sold for £2,000. Rick Searfoss commented that it is one of the best pieces of Space Art he's ever seen. A second painting of a Discovery launch by aviation artist Mandy Shepherd, also a fly2help patron, went for £2,500. Also auctioned were photographs of British astronaut Piers Sellers, a letter written by aviation heroine Amy Johnson and a blank music manuscript signed by the entire Apollo 11 crew. A raffle to win a mission patch actually taken into space by Rick Searfoss was also held.
Also present at the dinner were WWII veteran Spitfire pilot Geoffrey Wellum, another patron of fly2help along with Sir Glenn Torpy, the former Chief of the Air Staff.
In light of the end of the Space Shuttle Programme, CEO Chris Hadlow was in Florida to witness the very last launch of Discovery with his family. He said seeing the launch was utterly inspiring adding in his speech that, "Being there after watching so many videos and reading so many books about the space programme, well, I must admit I wasn't ready for the emotion of it. The relevance of the Space Shuttle to our charity is that we're all about inspiring others. I, the staff, the trustees, the patrons, the aviation enthusiasts all know what it's like to see the world from the air and being able to give children that same perspective is very uplifting."
Rick's final thought was that of the human race as a whole and what the Space Shuttle Programme has achieved. "Even though sometimes we feel small amongst the other millions of people in the world," he said. "Never underestimate the ways in which you can contribute. We all have a global effect on this planet. The Space Shuttle Programme gave us the ability to get off the surface of our world and to see the bigger picture."
All photographs by Ian Plested - Redhouse Photography
The entire collection of photographs from the Space Dinner can be viewed at www.redhousephotography.co.uk in the "See Your Photos" section. No password is needed. Orders can also be placed for prints / canvas as required. A percentage of all orders is donated to fly2help. Thank you.