What we're doing right now...

Out with the old, in with the new!

2010-09-17T17:23:00.003+01:00

This will be the Last Post on our current web site. Sorry to see it go as we've enjoyed being here and keeping you updated with our latest activities. Things move so fast in the digital age that even a site that's only two years old is already outmoded. In the coming week or so we will be switching to an exciting new site which will be at the cutting edge of web technology. We will retain many of the features that have made this site so easy for our customers to navigate but they will be dressed into a sylish, slick and modern new format. Hope to see you there soon!

August is hot hot hot!

2010-08-25T23:16:00.002+01:00

Our busiest weekend of the summer took us to three of the most picturesque places in the country, the Lake District, Castle Howard and Torbay. On Saturday night we entertained an audience of 5,000 at the Castle Howard summer proms concert. We're always nervous when working for a new client so it was a great relief when Andrew Wyke, director of the organisers, Musical Associates, phoned up the following day to say it was 'absolutely brilliant'. Dick Budgen and his team used the wide lakeside setting to produce some beautiful sequences to animate the 1812, the Radetsky March & Land of Hope and Glory. On Sunday night the action moved to Ulverston in the Lake District where the reopening of the Sir John Barrow Monument, a 100ft high inland lighthouse on Hoad Hill, drew another huge crowd. This time it was Rino Sampieri and his team who produced another memorable show. Our photographer Hayley Maddin captured the spectacle in this hot shot. On Monday we were supposed to be on the English Riviera but it turned out to be more like the English Rainiera. Torrential downpours and high winds threatened one of the main attractions of Torbay's Royal Regatta week, the annual fireworks extravaganza. But by mid afternoon the skies cleared, the wind dropped and Paul Roberts and his team had the rare treat of near perfect conditions to rock the Riviera. Choreographed to a dance mix including the Black Eyed Peas, Scissors Sisters, Coldplay and Take That, the show produced some stunning sequences, especially the waterfall effects which tumbled from a height of 300ft all the way down to the sea. 'Fantastic' said Regatta secretary Debbie Selley. 'See you next year.' All in all a fabulous weekend, with special thanks to show designers David Willsher and Steve Boothman.

We did it! Garden Party hits £500 hospice target

2010-08-22T23:13:00.005+01:00

A big well done to the organisers and an even bigger thank-you to everyone who supported our summer garden party. Rocket Park was festooned with colourful bunting and an archway of balloons created by our beautiful cheerleaders Kate & Hayley (pictured here). Meanwhile Tom’s countless hours of sawing, nailing and painting produced a fantastic range of stalls including a coconut shy, stocks, splat the rat and the thirst-quenching, mouth-watering Brocade Bar & Grill. There was even a bouncy castle. The barbecue did a brisk trade in burgers and hot dogs, as did the cake stall, the tombola and the raffle. Despite the occasional shower everyone had a great time and when we counted up the pennies they came to a very creditable £300. Adding in the £200 donated online by well-wishers we will be handing Keech Hospice Care in Luton a cheque for more than £500. You can see more photos on our flickr page.

An Invitation To The Fantastic Fireworks Garden Party!

2010-07-13T14:33:00.008+01:00

Fantastic Fireworks will be hosting a Summer Garden Party on Saturday 14th August 2010 in aid of Keech Hospice Care - and we would love for our wonderful Firers and friends of FF to join us!

Among the attractions will be the 'Brocade Bar & Grill', a Bouncy Castle, Cake & Home Produce stalls, a Bric 'A' Brac stall, Arts & Crafts, A Fun Dog Show, a Tombola, Coconut Shy, Stocks, 'Splat The Rat', Tug O' War, an Egg & Spoon Race and much, much more!

Quality donations for the Tombola or any other stall would be gratefully recieved, and will go along way to helping us reach our target. If you would like to have your own stall on the day, please let me know - all we ask is that you donate 20% of your profits to us for this amazing charity!

Tickets are FREE but numbers are limited, so please book early! (In case of over-subscription, priority will be given to staff & Firers of Fantastic Fireworks). There will be food and drink available on the day at a small charge, plus games and stalls with all the proceeds going to Keech Hospice Care.

For any enquiries about the Garden Party, to request a stall, or to book tickets, please email katem@fantasticfireworks.co.uk

For anyone who can't make it on the day, but would still like to support us from afar, please see our fundraising page - www.justgiving.com/Fantastic-Fireworks-Garden-Party - where even the smallest of donations will be very gladly received.

It's going to be a great event and we are all looking forward to welcoming you on the day! :o)

Sunshine super show!

2010-07-03T12:22:00.003+01:00

Astronauts are used to seeing some pretty amazing sights...comets, asteroids, space stations, the earth from space. Now they can add one more, daylight fireworks! The crew from the Space Shuttle joined crowds in glorious sunshine to detonate a spectacular display marking the end of the annual Portsmouth Festivities. Fantastic Fireworks were called in to create a high impact, visual finale to the event which was due to end in broad daylight. We suggested our new range of colour smoke effects combined with a blast of confetti to give the astronauts and the audience an altogether new experience. Pippa Cleary, general manager of Portsmouth Festivities, said afterwards: 'The fireworks were wonderful, truly spectacular. No one quite knew what to expect and we were all stunned by how amazing they were.'

Happy birthday rock star!

2010-06-08T23:38:00.002+01:00

It was one of the biggest showbiz parties of the year and we were honoured to be the entertainment, well the outdoor entertainment. The event was a special birthday party for one of rock's most famous and successful artists. It's a shame we can't say who he is but we respect his privacy and were just thrilled to be entertaining someone who has sold over 50 million albums worldwide. Special thanks to Steve who designed the display to the star's favourite tunes and to Paul & his team for firing a wonderful show. As his PR manager said afterwards: 'That was ****ing fantastic!'

Icarus flies high in E15

2010-05-24T09:28:00.006+01:00

Once in a while we get a show that's a bit different. This year one of our younger firers, Dan Hoffman, is in his final year at East 15 Acting School, studying for a BA in Technical Theatre. As part of their Final Examinations, students are required to offer a Dissertation. Most opt for something relatively small, such as a set model or piece of scenery. Not Dan. He elected to write, produce and perform a 30-minute multimedia spectacular based on the story of Icarus (the one in Greek mythology who flew so close to the sun that his wings melted!) The show utilised a classical soundtrack, a 4-metre metal sculpture, a dozen Varilites, four gas flame dragons, video projection and other effects. Not to mention atmospheric lighting around the lake and along the woodland walk leading to the show site.

And of course there were fireworks! Dan wanted to emphasise dramatic moments throughout the piece with spectacular pyrotechnic effects, and naturally turned to Fantastic Fireworks for help. We were delighted to sponsor this event, donating some of the pyro, helping Dan select fireworks appropriate for each scene, and advising on the risk assessment. In addition, Ian Woodroof from our sister company ConfettiMagic loaned Dan the use of LED lights and gas torches for the woodland walk.

On the day, the fireworks part of the show was rigged by FF Firers Tony Hoffman (Dan's dad) and Dick Budgen*, both donating their time free of charge. What followed was a real family performance, with Dan operating the lighting and flame effects, and Tony firing the pyro. The result was stunning, drawing loud applause from a very large audience. A First Class effort if ever there was one!

*Thank you Dick for your kind contribution to the blog too!!

Help for Heroes

2010-05-06T22:59:00.002+01:00

As part of our 25th anniversary celebrations this year Fantastic Fireworks has pledged help to several charities. One of the first beneficiaries is Help for Heroes, the charity which supports service personnel injured in war or conflict. Last Saturday night we were proud to donate a display to an auction of promises at an elegant black-tie supper in Oxfordshire. Bidding steamed past £1000, £2000, £3000 and ended with a whopping £3500! A fantastic effort! Overall the event raised more than £40,000 and we were delighted to play our role.

A night that really fizzed!

2010-04-26T16:06:00.004+01:00

Coming home from a show in the small hours isn't something I've done for many years, but last week was a reminder of bygone days of long drives and midnight motorway service stations. As FF's unofficial chief photographer I like to give our clients a memento of their show and our latest outing took me out to deepest Lincolnshire. The event was an RAF Graduation Ball capped by flypasts of planes, parachutists and pyrotechnics. This was the middle leg of three shows in a busy week to bring April to an action-packed finish. As the 'lucky' fireworks company we brought the good weather with us as usual, and with a bright half-moon shining high over ahead it was a perfect night to wow the 700-strong audience. Afterwards a delighted organiser surprised and delighted us by arriving with five glasses and a bottle of champagne. Rarely do we get this well treated!

If I'd Known the Danger Ahead I'd Have Stayed Well Clear

2010-04-07T21:10:00.004+01:00

Looking through our archives the other day I came across a video of a truly unique show we did in Liverpool three years ago. It was created from a collaboration between ourselves, the Liverpool Tate and a Chinese art group Yangjiang. Based on a concept exploring the young's ability to usurp the old, the Yangjiang Group developed the idea of a battle visualised in fireworks. Entitled 'If I'd Known the Danger Ahead I'd Have Stayed well Clear' the result is a unique and spectacular pyrotechnic work of art. Well worth dusting down and enjoying again. Watch it here.

A-mazing!

2010-03-18T22:51:00.006Z

The client said it, the venue manager said it and there was no other word for it! Last night's big show at Hampton Court prompted the same adjective from everyone we spoke to. Choreographed to a soundtrack of contemporary classics, including I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas and Rule the World by Take That, the show crackled with class. Our client, a multi-national company celebrating a recent merger, wanted something special with which to impress the 500 guests. We illuminated the fountain by the Long Water, lit up the sky with our powerful, multibeam searchlight, and provided guests with the warm glow of two Olympic style 'flambaux' flames on arrival. After dinner they returned outside for the big finish, a 7-minute display which sparkled with style and pezazz. Giant flames hissed into the sky as Bjork sang Shhh...it's so Quiet, then a volley of shell bursts shattered the silence. This sequence drew a round of applause before the show drew to a tumultous close with Rule the World and a sky full of gold. A-mazing! Show credits: Design, Ian Woodroof. Senior Firer, Paul Roberts. Sound & lights, Rob Stokes.

It's a long story

2010-02-21T07:13:00.007Z

'What happened to Lord Brocket? How come he gave up this place?' asked the well-refreshed American wedding guest as he surveyed the stately pile that is Brocket Hall. Looking out over its majestic, manicured grounds and its moonlit lake, it was indeed hard to imagine anyone giving it up. 'It's a long story,' I replied. 'Do you know Lord Brocket? Have you met him?' continued the American, eager for my insight into the English aristocracy. 'Hey do you guys want a drink?' And so with an hour to go before the start of our show last night I recalled our Brocket years. When I first started Fantastic Fireworks back in the early 1980s, Brocket Hall was one of the first places I began sending my brochures. As one of Hertfordshire's premier locations (alongside Hatfield House & Knebworth) it seemed a good prospect. It took about a year before I received a phone call booking our first display. In those days Brocket Hall was run by Lord Brocket, his PA Felicity Buxton and his butler, known simply as Alan. High-powered political conferences were held there and fireworks were a new and exciting way of entertaining the international delegates. One of the most memorable events was in 1989 when a Japanese television company took it over for a day and beamed a live show back to Tokyo. There were London taxis, a helicopter, a red double-decker bus and dozens of actors doing crazy things. The high spot (apart from our own cameo performance of daytime fireworks) came when the Pet Shop Boys and Bananarama suddenly appeared to mime their hits (You Were Always on my Mind & Robert de Niro's Waiting). Magic days! I met Lord Brocket several times and invited him to give a talk on fireworks to one of our training courses. He was always very charming and helpful. Fast-forward 20 years and Alan the butler is still there, as lovely as ever, and Felicity, known to all as Flic, is just down the road running Wrotham Park. Brocket himself pops up in the gossip columns on a regular basis and despite the slings and arrows of losing his freedom, not to mention an outrageous fortune, seems to be in fine fettle. He has remarried, become a father again and can look forward to Brocket Hall one day returning to his children. 'Yes but why did he give all this up,' asked the Amercian. 'Well,' I reply, 'there was a little matter of some Ferraris.' More guests suddenly appear on the terrace and it's time to fire the show. I never did get that drink. Thanks to Justin, Martin & Laura for an excellent show and to Rob for manning the PA.

David is in the CAD class!

2010-02-12T20:01:00.007Z

Earlier this year we resolved to be better trained, better informed and generally better prepared for the challenges of another busy fireworks season. This month two of our staff have been attending classes which will take us a step nearer achieving our goal. Our Display Manager Hayley Maddin completed a First Aid course, which means that if any of us are bruised, burned, scalded or electrocuted (to name just a few of the many hazards lurking in any office) she can now administer an assortment of bandages, lotions and resuscitation procedures. Meanwhile our Operations Manager David Willsher has been immersed in NEBOSH - the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety & Health. It's quite a mouthful, and so is the course! Two solid weeks of training followed by a week of revision followed by an exam. At the end of itall, David will know his CoSHH*from his CoMAH**and his CAD*** from his CLER****, all of which should mean that Fantastic Fireworks ticks the right safety boxes.
* Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
** Control of Mass Accident Hazard
*** Classification and Authorisation Document
**** Classifcation and Labelling of Explosives Regulations

Oh so wonely!

2010-01-29T15:41:00.011Z

Today I'm writing to you from my lonely little desk in an eerily quiet and still Rocket Park! (I'm sure I can hear your sympathetic oohs and aahs from here!) But do not fear, I haven't been abandoned or desserted - it's just so incredibly busy for Fantastic Fireworks at the moment that I have been left to man HQ on my tod for a bit while the others go off on all sorts of important engagements...

Hayley & Pascal are currently out at meetings in the Cambridge area, visiting some very interesting people to discuss potential displays... David meanwhile is on the 5th day off a highly intensive NEBOSH course, and will soon be the FF authority on all things to do with Health & Safety... Jon's out and about too, making last minute preparations for The Event Show next week (which we are all very excited about)... and last but no means least, Tom and Paul have worked super-hard all morning in order to have the afternoon off - and very well deserved it is too! So that just leaves little old me in the Display Team, Becky in Retail, and Ian in our sister company Confetti Magic - and working extremely hard we are too! (Just someone please remind me to hide the board-games and party food before the boss comes back later! *wink wink nudge nudge*)

25 and counting!

2010-01-25T10:34:00.020Z

Hello everyone, Happy New Year, and Happy Burns Night to all our Scottish friends and Firers!

This is my first post of 2010 and, as promised in the Firers Times, should (hopefully!) be the first of many! Our 25th year has got off to a flying start so far. We've begun to revamp ourselves completely with a new logo & a fresh new look, in fact a whole new FF for the next 25 years! David and Steve have just got back from an exciting & fruitful trip to China, where they were on the hunt for all the most fabulous and innovative of the new fireworks for the year ahead. All Firers should now have received my Questionnaire; the new and improved FF Firers Database is shaping up nicely with all the responses I have received so far (thank you). The Event Production Show in Olympia's Grand Hall, London, takes us nicely into February (on Tues 2nd & Wed 3rd to be exact). Here you will find Hayley, Pascal, Jon and myself manning our fantastic new-look stand, logoed up and waiting for you with welcoming smiles and eager for a chat! If you happen to be in the area please do pop in to see us! Who knows, you may even walk away with one of the many bottles of champagne we will be giving away during our two day stint there...

We have so many more exciting plans to take us through the rest of the year and, unlike this famous quote from the aforementioned Mr. Burns, "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men Go oft awry"... we know that we will see ALL of our plans through to a thrilling and successful finish!

I am certain that this anniversary year will be a year for us all to remember - roll on the next 25! x

Lost in translation

2010-01-16T21:54:00.003Z

Being in China provides plenty of opportunity for amusement, if only from the translated public signs, (see picture). And only in China would you find a Yoshiba television in your hotel room, Dandy kitchen appliances around the home, a JBC digging holes and a Rolls Royce angel and grill stitched on to the front of what can only be described as a clown's car waiting to pick up some lucky bride. In fact today Steve and I drove past a restaurant called Fukang Pawn which provided a good laugh. And If that's not enough, for those of you with no friends theres always the ‘knob coffee bar’ where you can meet like minded people.

On a more serious note the people have been very welcoming and hospitable. The locals also seem to enjoy practicing their English as we walk past on the street by shouting out “hello” to which we respond with a very poorly pronounced ‘Nihouw’, one of only four words we’ve managed to learn in our time here.

This is my first time in China but it is Steve’s fourth visit and he is completely shocked at the amount of development that has taken place over the past few years. Towns that were once quite a small community have turned into bustling cities and everywhere you look something is being built. The speed of development is truly quite shocking. Be afraid, be very afraid.

Posted by David via the hub.

A vision for the future

2010-01-09T23:14:00.009Z

As Steve & David touch down in Beijing, their work colleagues back home are hard at work on the company's blueprint for the future. While office staff across the country were forced to stay at home because of the snow, a dozen of our finest made it to to the Holiday Inn for a full day's agenda. Fantastic Fireworks celebrates 25 years of success this year and while I'm delighted to have got us this far, I wanted everyone to be able to have a say in how and where we go from here. My 'bible' for the day was a book called the E Myth - Why Most Small Businesses Fail. Its premise is that they fail because they don't have a plan. I have to admit that I didn' have a plan when I started the company back in 1985, in fact I didn't have a clue. We succeeded because the fireworks phenomenon was in its infancy and we were among the first to realise its potential. Twenty-five years on we face a new challenge: How to build on our past success in a rapidly changing market place. Firstly it is highly competitive, with hundreds of firework companies chasing the same targets, second our buying public are far more sophisticated, and third we are fighting against a recession. What then will make our clients hear us above the din of all those shouting for their business? Our agenda included topics such as how to provide a better, more consistent customer experience, how to make our displays even more fantastic and, in this health and safety conscious era, how we can maintain and improve our already highly regarded safety standards. There was no talk of sales targets or gross margins, just a united desire to live up to and beyond the name which got us here in the first place. We have a young, creative and energetic team all eager to make their mark. Adding a wealth of experience and expertise to the mix are our highly respected senior pyrotechnicians Ian Woodroof, Steve Boothman & Paul Roberts plus a legion of the most dedicated firers in the land. I'm proud to be leading this team on its first exciting steps into the next 25 years.

Out of the Fridge and into the Freezer

2010-01-08T17:17:00.002Z

David and myself are packing our thermals for a visit to China and the coldest weather that Beijing has seen in 20 years, (and that means COLD). Tomorrow sees us set out on a mission to bring the best new products back to the UK for the 2010 season. We'll be updating the blog throughout the visit so stay tuned and watch this space!!!! (that is if the internet doesn't freeze over in the meantime)

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T17:49:00.003Z

Fri 1st Jan 2010, 5.50pm

Greetings to everyone on this first day of a new decade. Let's hope the rest of Fantastic Fireworks' 25th anniversary year continues in the same spectacular way we started it in Birmingham last night. It was our first New Year's Eve show in the city and we really wanted to make it sing and dance. We were lucky enough to have a perfectly clear, still night with a full moon (including a partial eclipse) and a fantastic location atop the 75m high Hyatt Regency hotel in Centenary Square. As thousands of revellers roared on the chimes of Big Ben our senior firer Paul Roberts signalled the start of the show with a series of mine lifts and a giant Happy New Year set-piece from the roof of the House of Sport. Hot on the heels of this came a 5-minute aerial spectacular fired from the Holliday St car park. As the show rocked on there was a universal gasp of amazement as the roof of the Hyatt suddenly burst into life. Hundreds of comets swept the sky in magical Mexican wave, back and forth, up and across until finally each of the three sites erupted in one awesome final salute. A great way to start the new year!

From Hull to the Hyatt

2009-12-18T21:51:00.002Z

Fri 18the Dec 09, 9.52pm
It seems incredible that another year of pyro has passed. This time last December we were all eagerly awaiting the first airing of the Wispa TV advert which featured Fantastic Fireworks. In the following months we travelled to the south of France for a lavish wedding display, to Hull for a spectacular celebration of the Freedom Festival and to Tamworth in Staffordshire for Drayton Manor Park's 60th anniversary and the year's biggest multimedia show. In between there was a little episode in Bournemouth when 100,000 rockets took to the sky a bit quicker than expected. Sometimes things don't always work out the way you plan but overall it's been another exciting and successful year - and it's not over yet. At midnight on New Year's Eve we will be in Birmingham, lighting the skies from the roof of the Hyatt Hotel. Hope to see you there!

If there's a rocket tie me to it

2009-11-28T22:20:00.006Z

Sat 28th Nov 09, 10.21pm
Well done to all our display teams tonight, Paul at Coalville Christmas Lights, Dick at Knebworth, Lewis at Manford Way and especially Steve, Dave & Craig at cold and windswept Dove Stones Reservoir. This last display had a particular poignancy being the dying wish of a young soldier who was killed in Afghanistan earlier this year. Joey Etchells, from Oldham, was only 20 when he lost his life to a roadside bomb. He told his mum and dad that if anything happened to him, he wanted to remembered with a fireworks display in the desolate beauty of one of his favourite haunts. It was a bitterly cold and blustery night when dozens of Joey's friends and family gathered for a fond farewell as his ashes were scattered in a thousand stars. The display was fired to his favourite tunes including I Believe I Can Fly, Spirit in the Sky, Eye of the Tiger and Bullet in the Gun. Aftewards his mum came up and said 'You did him proud.' Our thanks to Fergus Jamieson of Heavens Above Fireworks for asking us to provide the memorial to this brave soldier.

Desert Island Dreams (revived)

2009-11-14T10:17:00.005Z

Sat 14 Nov 09, 10.42

All is quiet at the FF HQ today, just a few displays out tonight to complete the Bonfire Night season before we start a round of Christmas Lights switch-ons next week. Between all the surges that make up our year I've been asking our team to name the eight discs they'd take to a desert island. My castaway this week is our site superintendent Turney Logan. Turney has been with Fantastic Fireworks for over a year now and has survived two hectic seasons of getting our shows ready for the road. Here are his choices:

Toccata & Fugue in D Minor by Bach, preferably the original ‘Rollerball’ film organ version.

Dooms Night by Azzido Da Bass, and couple of big bass speakers for maximum effect.

Roadhouse Blues by The Doors or Status Quo (before they sold their soul to the Devil). Memories of seeing Quo live at the Glasgow Apollo in the Seventies and the balcony bouncing up and down by about foot in time with the headbanging audience.

On an Island by David Gilmour. Just to remind me of my situation.

Over & Over by Hot Chip… or anything by them.

Café De Flore by The Matthew Herbert Big Band ( or the dance version by Doctor Rockit who is the same guy).

Mas Que Nada by The Tamba Trio. Excellent at summer dinner parties.

Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell. Year 2000 version used for the film ‘Love Actually’. Her more mature voice gives a powerful version, and also because a friend from Glasgow who I grew up with (Craig Armstrong) became a writer for the music for this, and many other big films.

As my luxury item I would take my beloved Sage fly-fishing rod which would help me pass the time and produce a source of food. Rolling some leaves for tobacco, and drinking some tree sap would provide a heavenly accompaniment to fishing.

Turney, it has been a pleasure talking to you and letting us hear your Desert Island Discs.

Farewell to Sir Tom Clark...

2009-11-13T09:43:00.008Z

Friday 13th November 2009, 12.00pm
Today Rocket Park is a very sad place. Tom Clark, Logistics Manager, Operations Manager, Chief Mickey-taker and all round office hero is to leave Fantastic Fireworks for pastures new. Tom (pictured here when he was the first person to make it into the office after we were hit by a blizzard) has given FF nothing but solid hard work and loyal service over the last 10 years; after seeing us through his final season (and what a great season it was too!), he is now off to travel the world. On behalf of everyone here at FF I would like to wish Tom the very best of luck in all his adventures... and to say that we will all miss him very much too! x

Midnight Mavericks

2009-11-08T00:53:00.004Z

08 Nov 09, 00.54

Rocket Park can be an eerie place at midnight, dark, desolate and with the silence broken only by the occasional howl of a feral aardvark. But not these past few nights. With more than 100 shows on the road there have been constant comings and goings of returning vans & departing cars. Last year Dick Budgen likened it to a wartime airbase when he landed tired and drained from his mission, bagged a few hours sleep and then set out on another. Dick was there again last night, chalking up what must have been his 105th sortie. Only this time, as our photo shows, there was the warming welcome of our Senior Aircraftsman Tim Ward to wave him in. Tim has been burning the midnight oil as our nightwatchman these past couple of weeks, guarding the premises and offering warming cups of tea to our returning teams. He has watched more DVDs, read more books and drunk more tea than he would normally fit into a year. Thanks Tim - you are already booked for next year!

Cometh the hour, cometh the dog!

2009-11-06T05:10:00.006Z

Fri 6th Nov 09, 5.12am
A hero always emerges from our November 5th shows and last night was no exception. From the wet and windy northern lights of Liverpool & Leeds to the clearer skies down south our teams have chalked up another Bonfire Night success. But it was at Ibstock Place School in south west London that the story of the night emerged. As he was nearing ther finale of the show our senior firer Paul Chambers saw a dog racing through the firing site barking excitedly at the fireworks. Fearful for its safety - and his show - Paul ran after it and to a big round of applause managed to wrestle it to the ground. Well done Paul! Fantastic Fireworks hereby bestows upon you the Congressional Medal of Honour for Services to Dogs with the following citation: 'Paulus Chamberius heros est: Cave canem.' which, roughly translated means: 'Paul Chambers is a hero: Beware of the Dog!'

Where to see us in action this week

2009-11-03T20:33:00.007Z

Tues 3rd Nov 09, 8.34pm
Here's where you can see our public displays this week. Please call us on 01582 485555 to check times.
Thursday 5th November
Liverpool (Sefton, Walton & Newsham Parks); Leeds (Roundhay, Bramley, Springhead, East End, Middleton & Woodhouse Moor Parks); London (Wimbledon Park); Elstree; Redditch.
Friday 6th November
Gravesend Riverside.
Saturday 7th November
Dudley (Himley Hall); Bakewell (Chatsworth House); London (Morden Park); St Albans; Chatsworth; Aylesbury Rugby Club; Woking; Ware.

A night of magic at Drayton Manor Park

2009-11-01T00:35:00.005Z

01 Nov 09, 00.36

Another late night but worth it to see probably the best multimedia show ever produced in the UK. We started planning Drayton Manor Park's 60th birthday celebration nearly a year ago. Last night it all came to fruition with a flypast of magical fireworks, amazing lasers, flamebursts and a giant waterscreen. We had a perfect evening, dry, still and mild. At 7pm the lights dimmed and with a whoosh of water and a flurry of fireworks the park's managing director Colin Bryan materialised on screen to tell his story. With a soundtrack including Life is a Roller Coaster, Ticket to Ride and Thomas the Tank Engine the huge crowd loved every magical minute. And the good news is we're back tonight and again next year! Well done to our show designer Ian Woodroof and his pyro crew, CMT's Gino Malocca for the amazing lasers and waterscreen and to Jason of Jap Sound for pumping out the volume.

More photos on facebook.

One down, 105 to go!

2009-10-31T00:19:00.005Z

Sat 31st Oct 09, 00.20
The first day of the firework season is a bit like the opening day of the pheasant season. A lot of shots are fired and colourful objects fall out of the sky! There was plenty to admire at Gunwharf Quays last night with the first of 106 displays we'll be firing in the coming days. Paul Roberts and his team delighted the large audience who gathered on the quayside at Portsmouth for our 'Spooky Space' theme spectacular. From the opening sequence of red flares which signalled an invasion from Mars to the tumbling gold brocades which filled the sky for the finale, the show brought a huge round of applause. Gunwharf Quays events manager John Sackett congratulated FF's display manager Hayley Maddin for the quality of the display & the detailed planning that went into it.

Dish of the day

2009-10-21T21:13:00.005+01:00

Wed 21st Oct 09, 9.15pm

With more than 100 displays to prepare, our indefatigable team of fireworkers have been flat out these past few weeks. It's hard work, long hours and occasional long faces. But not tonight. Thanks to our two domestic goddesses Hayley & Kate, the troops are in high spirits. They have just been served a dish fit for the kings of quickmatch. Mushrooms, mince, chillis, tomatoes and peppers were lovingly sliced, diced and then gently cooked into a sizzling dish as mouthwatering as one of our double-break red ring & colour changing brocade crown shells with palmcore heart and silver pistils. Well done Hayley, well done Kate. You are truly the Angels of the South!

Blown away

2009-10-12T22:21:00.002+01:00

Monday 12th Oct 09, 10.22pm
All the effort, all the hope & all for nothing. It was a very dejected & downbeat FF team who headed home today after our show at the British Musical Fireworks Championship was cancelled on Sunday night because of bad weather. Steve Boothman and Dave Mannion had spent most of this year preparing our bid. On the day they were helped by dozens of FF crew who descended on Southport to set up the final show of the seven scheduled over the weekend. However the strong wind which blew up during the day just wouldn't die down and the decision to cancel both Sunday shows, ours and Star's, was taken 30 minutes before the scheduled start. Commiserations to everyone concerned, a big thank you to all the Fantastic Fireworks crew who worked so hard & well done to Flashpoint Fireworks who were awarded the prize for being the best of the five shows which did take place. We'll be back!

They saw the whole of the moon

2009-09-27T06:12:00.005+01:00

Sunday 27th Sept 09, 6,13am

Our latest firework forays took us across the water last night. First up was a wedding display at Blenheim Palace where Paul Roberts & his team created seven minutes of magic over the lake. After a perfect, sunny September day, it was a lovely, still, moonlit night and to reflect the time of year, the bride had chosen Autumn from the Four Seasons as the musical accompaniment. It was a perfect choice which we complimented with lots of reds and golds. Using the lake to its full reflective potential, the display also included three types of aqua-firework which burst on the water first in a beautiful green carpet, then lifts of white comets and finally in a stunning sea of colours (pictured here). Forty miles away, at the opening of Luton Hoo Hotel's new conference centre, Steve Boothman & his team were pushing the boat out, quite literally. The setting was another beautiful, moonlit lake and our display was mounted on a pontoon which had to be punted out to its final mooring. The show, which was fired using a wireless computerised system, was set to a classical soundtrack including O Fortuna from Carmina Burana, Mazurka by Delibes and The Gallop from the William Tell Overture. With our clients' praises still ringing in their ears, two weary teams packed their bags and boxes and headed home in the small hours. The Water Boys (Steve, Dave, Rino, Paul, Justin, Dick, Jack and John) they saw the whole of the Moon!

Hull - The View From The Church

2009-09-15T11:58:00.002+01:00

Tuesday 15th Sept, 11:00 am

Holy Trinity in Hull is no ordinary church. This one is 150ft high (that’s 15 storeys), with the only internal access to the upper levels a 163-step spiral stone staircase designed for hobbits. Since FF didn’t see fit to give me a crew from Middle Earth (I have the hair for it, but I need to work on the ears and feet), we had to find another way of getting the pyro and kit onto the East and West roofs and up to the top of the tower. That way was Paul Kelly. And a rope. Paul single-handedly hauled everything we needed up to where it needed to be (and then lowered it down again after the show). As a result, he now has arms which would qualify him to audition as a Troll, so we’re getting there !

Then there were the bells (the bells !). And the clock. No chance of not knowing the time on this job ! The trick was not to be in the tower staircase when the clock struck the hour, and we didn’t always manage it. Never mind, we got the display rigged and fired OK, though I was a bit concerned about the big fountains on the tower – rigged as they were on stakes wired to the parapet, they resembled nothing so much as giant rockets, and I had visions of one of them taking flight out towards the Humber and giving the barge crew something of a surprise !

And of course we had the best view in the house, Paul probably having the best of all, from the top of the tower. Once we had fired, we settled down to watch the rest of the show. And it was spectacular - well done everyone ! And very special thanks to my crew (Paul and Jackie) for all their ecclesiastical efforts !

Rhumba on the Humber

2009-09-14T04:27:00.007+01:00

Sunday 13th Sept, 09, 3.51am

They thought it was all over, but it wasn't. Just as I'm posting this some very tired crew have just made it to bed after a night of thrills and frustration in Hull. Huge crowds gathered on the waterfront for the city's biggest ever display celebrating the Freedom Festival. Steve Boothman and his team produced a magical spectacle, fired from three positions, from the tower of the city's Holy Trinity Church, the Tidal Barrier and the main display from a barge on the Humber. One of the wow-factors came when Tidal Barrier suddenly lit up with a 100ft wide crackling waterfall while comets attacked each other from opposite sides. A blistering finale from the barge was met with a massive cheer from the crowd and then it was time to pack up and go home. Well, that was the plan. But just as the barge crew, led by senior firer Paul Roberts, were heading into dock around midnight, a mechanical failure at the lock gate left them stranded for nearly three hours. They finally limped home around 3am, tired but triumphant. A big well done to all the team and a sepcial thank you to the Freedom Festival organisers Unique Events for giving Fantastic Fireworks the opportunity. There are plenty of excellent photos of the barge display on flickr http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=hull%20freedom%20festival%20fireworks&w=all
and a selection of my best shots on facebook
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/album.php?aid=109497&id=638256008.
Apart from the fireworks my wife's biggest thrill came when she spotted Peter Andre, one of the Festival's star performers, sitting a few seats away on our train!
Meanwhile across in Leeds, the Fantastic Fireworks crew led by Dave Mannion made the earth move at the annual Kirkstall Abbey open air concert. As the 1812 Overture reached its dramatic climax a glittering reproduction of a cannon appeared in the sky accompanied by a series of 16 sonic bangs marking Napoleon's retreat from Moscow.

One down, two to go

2009-09-07T22:02:00.002+01:00

Mon 7th Sept 09, 21.49
The first of our big three super-September shows made it a night to remember in East London last night. Newham's annual Under the Stars concert ended with Land of Hope and Glory followed by the Apocalypse Now anthem Ride of the Valkyries, both accompanied by fireworks celebrating the event's 10th anniversary. Paul Roberts led the Fantastic Fireworks team in a show which ended with the borough's name in glittering lights while star-pattern shells exploded overhead. Next stops, Leeds & Hull this Saturday.

Stars of September

2009-09-03T12:54:00.000+01:00

Thurs 3rd Sept 09, 10.20am
A busy week ahead including three big shows. On Sunday we'll be in Newham for the Under the Stars concert where Paul Roberts will be conducting the FF pyro-orchestra alongside the RPO. Then the following Saturday, September 12th, it's Yorkie bars all round. Dave Mannion leads the FF team for the annual Kirkstall Abbey concert in Leeds while Steve Boothman directs a triple-site show in our biggest display of the year for the Freedom Festival in Hull. Here we will be firing from the tower of the Cathedral, the Tidal Barrier and a barge on the Humber.

Onwards and Upwards

2009-08-25T08:15:00.003+01:00

After the highs and lows of Bournemouth it was back to business as usual for FF last night. We were in Torbay for the annual Royal Regatta display and we really rocked the English Riviera. Tens of thousands packed the promenades for the 15-minute spectacular which was designed by David Willsher and fired off Corbyn Head. Paul Roberts and Tony Smith led the Fantastic Fireworks team who excelled themselves in a display which was hailed by the organisers as 'the best ever'. We were displaying some of our new effects for the first time including a stunning tambourine shell which burst in a beatiful expanding disc of white flitter broken by four 'bells' of crackling colour. Yacht Club secretary Debbie Selley said: 'That was absolutely amazing. You were brilliant. See you next year.'

Fast and furious

2009-08-21T09:21:00.008+01:00

Sat 22nd August 09, 3.53pm - Updated
So that's what 110,000 rockets look like when they're launched in 6.5 seconds. OK it wasn't what we planned and we can understand a lot of people were disappointed. We apologise to everyone who came to Bournemouth expecting to see something far more spectacular, and longer-lasting. It was originally planned to do the launch in 60 seconds but then Guinness World Records told us they would only recognise it if it beat our previous world record of 56,000 in 30 seconds. Unfortunately by the time we heard that, the Bournemouth publicity was already advertising 60seconds. However even we were astonished at how fast they all went up. Some of it was down to the high wind speed which fanned the flames of the fuses. But mostly it was down to ensuring that with the threat of a wet and windy evening out at sea on barge, we got everything airborne as quicky as possible. That it was far too quick is now plain but we were just asked to break a world record and that's what we attempted to do. The barge didn't catch fire, no one was hurt and thousands of pounds were raised for charity. We've been widely criticised for not making it more entertaining and with the benefit of hindsight perhaps we should have added all sorts of different colourful effects. But the entertainment was the firework display which came before. We are delighted to have helped the Help for Heroes charity raise so much money and without this attempt and the efforts of of our own volunteers, they would be the poorer today. I have now asked Bournemouth Council if they will let us come back next year, we'll do it for free and we'll get it right.

My thanks to freelance photographer Donna Nicholson for sending us the photo shown here. For all the flak we've taken from our legions of followers, at least Donna and her family enjoyed what they saw. She wrote: 'Thanks, my kids loved it. Well done - have the above photo copy right free.' Thanks Donna and to everyone else who has joined in the debate, even Anonymous. We know who you are.

Smoke & Mirrors at Corfe Castle

2009-08-04T21:18:00.006+01:00

Tues 4th Aug 09, 21.19pm
The last time Corfe Castle reverberated to the sound of explosions was in 1646, when Oliver Cromwell tried to raze it to the ground. He was only partially successful, so now it was Fantastic Fireworks’ turn ! With one major difference – under no circumstances was the national monument to be damaged or marked in any way.

The occasion was a book launch by The Friends of Bucknowle, an archaeological group which had been excavating a nearby Roman villa. Ali Robertson’s display design took full advantage of the imposing structure, with flares, strobes, barrages and aerial shells firing from every corner. Great stuff. But to achieve the required effects, the FF firing crew had to haul and manhandle heavy equipment and pyro up rocky paths to the top of the 100ft tor, and then again up to the castle battlements !

Firing against a fading sunset, the display (which was visible from as far away as Swanage and Poole) was spectacular. With smoke and light pouring from the castle and the sound of shells and mortars echoing around the walls and from nearby hills, the overall effect resembled nothing so much as a castle under siege. Happily, when the smoke cleared, the National Trust inspected the site and were delighted to report that the ancient building was not only unharmed but completely unmarked.

Beat that, Cromwell !

Our thanks to Dick Budgen for firing the show and posting this blog.

Germ-free Fantastic Fireworks!

2009-07-29T12:32:00.009+01:00

Wed 29th July 2009, 12.40pm
Here at FF we have been suffering with a bout of the sniffles lately. Although we have no more than bog-standard colds, it has made all of us conscious of just how easy nasty lurgies can spread around an office. To try to stop our very own Pepperstock pandemic spreading any further we are all now being extra careful. One of the measures we have implemented is to swap our good old fashioned tea-towels for some disposable kitchen roll. Hopefully little things like this will work wonders in keeping the germs at bay - especially the dreaded swine flu we've been hearing so much about - allowing the FF team to soldier on through our extremely busy summer ahead!

Drayton goes diamond

2009-07-23T21:16:00.003+01:00

22 July 09, 21.26
Some exciting news just in...Fantastic Fireworks will be providing the pyro and special effects which will light up Drayton Manor Park this autumn for the Midlands theme park's diamond jubilee. A water screen, lasers, lights and flames will also feature in the multimedia spectacular telling the story of 60 years of family entertainment started by George Bryan back in 1949. The shows will take place on Saturday October 31st and Sunday 1st November.

Happy Brum Year

2009-07-01T23:10:00.002+01:00

Wed 1st July 09, 11.11pm
We're pleased to announce that we have been awarded the contract for this year's Birmingham New Year's Eve celebrations. It's the first time we'll have done this show and we are looking forward to giving the Second City something to shout about. The display will take place on the roof of the House of Sport in Centenary Square and from the top of Hyatt Hotel, offering some great photo opportunities.

Get ready for Roar on the Shore

2009-06-16T22:23:00.004+01:00

Tues 16th June 09, 22.24
Three years after helping the City of Plymouth create a new world rocket record, I'm delighted to announce that we are going to try and beat it - this time in Bournemouth. The town's Tourism department were so impressed by the worldwide media coverage created for Plymouth that they have asked Fantastic Fireworks to create a new world record on the evening of Thursday 20th August. As I write this, 110,000 rockets are being assembled in China, each one bearing the legend Roar on the Shore. They will be launched from a pontoon in Bournemouth Bay, and if successful will easily eclipse the 56,000 record set in Plymouth. All FF friends, their families and our thousands of web visitors are invited to come watch this amazing spectacle, which heralds the start of the town's Air Festival. It will be preceded by a 10-minute display which we will also be firing from a pontoon shortly before the record bid. Please watch here for more details.

The Truth Is Out There...

2009-06-11T11:46:00.006+01:00

Thursday 11th June 2009, 11.50am

Could Fantastic Fireworks be at the root of the current UFO hysteria sweeping Luton?

Our local paper reported last week that several spooked out residents had been in contact after spotting a series of bright lights gliding silently across the night skies. Apparently six or seven of these lights hovered eerily above the town, equally spaced, rotating around each other, before breaking up and heading east. They were large, very bright, orangey in colour, and vanished all of a sudden - almost ‘like a light burning out’. Numerous theories were put forward as to what they could be, but a couple of clued up readers who contacted the paper may have just got it fathomed! They suggested the mysterious objects were nothing more than Chinese Sky Lanterns..... as sold by the town’s premier fireworks supplier FF! Whether or not the Lanterns actually came from our Rocket Shop I really couldn’t say, but the thought of it did make me chuckle! :o)

News update - out now!

2009-06-02T11:03:00.003+01:00

Tues 2nd June 09, 11.04am
Our latest News Update has just been published and you can read it here. As well as chronicling our latest exploits, it includes 'a best of' our blog over the past year & some lovely photos of our recent display in the South of France. Click to view.

Top of the class

2009-05-16T10:20:00.002+01:00

Sat 16th May, 09 10.20am
Rocket Park is a-buzz with activity this morning as another group of enthusiasts enroll at our Fireworks Training School. They have come from all over the country to be put through their pyro-paces by our teachers Ali Robertson and James Lister. Safety, both here at our HQ and out on our dipslays is paramount. It's a credit to Ali, James & all our firing crews that Fantastic Fireworks has one of the best safety records in the industry. I mustn't end this blog without a mention of Tom Clark, our site Health & Safety Manager. Tom and his team have been sprucing up our site these past few weeks, painting & polishing in preparation for the busy season ahead. The floors of our factory building are so clean you could eat off them! Our insurance assessor was so impressed he gave us top marks. Well done Tom.

The Night the Riviera Rocked!

2009-05-04T23:01:00.005+01:00

Mon 4th May 09, 23.02
There are a lot of tired bodies getting to sleep about now after our biggest display since Mykonos last year. The setting this time was the beautiful French Riviera and the occasion a grand wedding. With the help of our French colleagues Feerie, Fantastic Fireworks produced an amazing display choreographed to the bride's favourite music. The fireworks crew spent 12 hours on the road to get to St Jean Cap Ferrat, near Nice, before spending the whole of Sunday setting up on two barges. The gardens of our client's magnificent clifftop villa were opulently decorated with a huge marquee & dance floor over the swimming pool and a giant white awning elegantly strung between the trees to cover the seated area for the wedding ceremony. As the newlyweds broke their wine glasses in the traditional Jewish manner, our sparkling silver fountains marked the moment, drawing a ripple of appreciation from the 250-strong audience. Then the party moved into the marquee where our associate company ConfettiMagic showered the ballroom with white hearts as the bride & groom took to the floor for the first dance. The party really got going when Craig David and The Saturdays appeared as the star turns. Shortly before 1am the bride & groom led their guests outside where they released two white doves. This was the signal for the start of a 7-minute spectacular which rocked the Riviera. Wave upon wave of shells filled the sky in probably the biggest show ever seen in the region. It was a tribute to the competence and skill of the team leader David Hamon that our client congratulated FF on fulfilling his brief to perfection. Having had precious little sleep the previous night the crew, including FF's Steve Boothman & Dave Mannion,had to take a 3-hour barge trip back to base and de-rig. They finally crawled into bed around 7am only to have to get up again a few hours later to start the long trip back home. Well done to everyone in involved in such a prestige event.

The Name Says It All!

2009-05-01T16:55:00.005+01:00

Friday 1st May 2009, 16.55
This week we received a lovely telephone call from a very satisfied new customer. He had made contact with Fantastic Fireworks a little while ago, and was so impressed with the service he received in response to his queries he didn't hesitate to use us. He called after his display to let us know how brilliant it was; that all went without a hitch; and to say he will definitely be using us again later in the year! So good news all round! Although it is not uncommon for Fantastic Fireworks to receive such praise (our several bulging 'Thank You' files stand testament to this as they weigh down our poor shelves!) it is nevertheless always a joy to hear we have helped make someone so happy and their event such a success. Fantastic Fireworks - it really is what we do!!!

Red Nose Day update

2009-04-24T16:45:00.004+01:00

Friday 24th April 2009, 16.55
This week saw a big fat cheque sent off to the 2009 Comic Relief appeal on behalf of Fantastic Fireworks, surely the loveliest of fireworks companies there is! A lot of fun was had raising the money through our 'Auction of Promises'. Just today I had a lovely time sitting in the garden with Gail, basking in the sunshine, listening to the birds sing, whilst receiving my expert knitting lesson! I thoroughly enjoyed my tutorial in what is proving to be a lost art these days, and I am now the proud creator of 3 inches of scarf! Whether it will resemble a scarf by the time I'm finished with it will remain to be seen.... ;o) My other big win at the auction was a rather lovely afternoon cruising the picturesque waterways of the Grand Union at Tring, courtesy of Mr & Mrs Culverhouse! It was a warm and sunny day, and a yummy picnic was provided too. I, and my other half Tom, had a wonderful time and cannot think of a more relaxing way to spend an afternoon. It was great to think I had done my bit for charity whilst having so much fun!

In other news, Linda & I will be manning a 'Fantastic Fireworks' stand at the newly refurbished Stockwood Discovery Centre's Wedding Fayre in Luton tomorrow. If you are in the area and thinking about getting hitched, please do come along and see us! We may even be able to do you a deal.... :o)

Parlez-vous pyro?

2009-04-17T22:35:00.005+01:00

Fri 17th April 09, 10.36pm
We've been brushing up on our French these past few days in preparation for what looks like being our biggest display of the year. A lavish wedding is taking place on the Cote d'Azur next month and Fantastic Fireworks will be there to help the celebrations go with a bang. The FF office has been buzzing with faxes, emails and phone calls as we try to get everything in place before the big day. We've had to locate a barge big enough to accommodate the Disney-sized display, persuade the local Mayor to allow it to take place after midnight and lay down a soundtrack of the bride's favourite songs. Next week the show will be designed & the fireworks assembled, ready for their long journey south. To be continued.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-09T16:53:00.004+01:00

Thursday 9th April 2009, 16.55

As Fantastic Fireworks closes for Easter, the staff are all looking forward to a few days of well-earned rest and relaxation... and maybe the odd chocolate egg and hot-cross bun too of course! We will all no doubt come back a few pounds heavier next week, but raring to go (possibly due to the sugar rush!) and will all be looking forward to what the spring and summer months have in store!

Have a lovely Easter break everyone!

Sheepworks - as seen on Ewe-tube!

2009-04-07T22:37:00.005+01:00

Tues 7th April 09, 10.38pm
If you haven't yet seen the LED sheep clip, here it is. This is creative shepherding at its best, especially the fireworks at the end!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDAM5lSPCwk

Beddy Bye Byes!

2009-04-04T12:55:00.005+01:00

Sat April 4th, 12.55pm

Funeral fireworks are not uncommon these days but our latest display was slightly different. The 'deceased' was South Bedfordshire District Council, which came to an end last month in a local government merger. The council's chairman, Mrs Ruth Gammons, was determined to go out with a bang and called in Fantastic Fireworks to perform the last rites. To add a touch of humour to the proceedings she commissioned a set-piece for the finale reading SBDC R.I.P. The 7-minute display delighted the 200-strong audience & Ruth told us she was thrilled to bits. FF photographer Turney Logan recorded the occasion.

The Joys of Spring!

2009-03-27T15:02:00.004Z

Friday 27th March 2009, 15.00
Well spring is almost here, and Fantastic Fireworks is starting to burst to life after a couple of months of relative hibernation! Rocket Park is now awash with a sea of bright yellow daffodils, there's blossom on the trees and little bunny rabbits hopping about in the lane! Everyone is cheerful with the thought of summer just around the corner, and the heavy snows of last month are already a distant memory!

Spurred on by the uplifting change in seasons, a crew of our top Firers are at this moment excitedly setting up for tonights display. Paul Roberts and Dick Budgen, ably assisted by trainee Jack Aylward, are firing a show in the beautiful surroundings of the Luton Hoo estate - and I am sure our display will be every bit as gorgeous as the setting! I will be passing by Luton Hoo tonight as I return from a family meal in nearby Wheathampstead, and am hoping to time my journey to coincide with the show! It's always a pleasure to see a good fireworks display - and with FF behind it you know it's gauranteed to be spectacular!!! ;o)

Tina's Tasty Brain Teaser!

2009-03-23T15:37:00.012Z

Monday 23rd March 2009, 15:35
As you may have noticed, staff here at Fantastic Fireworks are not averse to the odd bit of chocolate! In fact it was like all our Christmases had come at once when we were asked to take part in the Wispa advert, not least because we were thanked in copious amounts of the scrummy bubbly bars!

So in keeping with this yummy theme... here is a little quiz, courtesy of the lovely Tina Ward, to get you all thinking (and no doubt get your tummies rumbling!) of a Monday afternoon. All answers are chocolates or sweeties, past and present, and I will post them on Wednesday.

1. Talk quietly = WISPA
2. Sly giggles = SNICKERS
3. High class thoroughfare = QUALITY STREET
4. Dark occult = BLACK MAGIC
5. Money making Royalty = MINT IMPERIAL
6. Mothers local =MARS BAR
7. Clever folk = SMARTIES
8. Various black items = LIQUORICE ALLSORTS
9. Sport for Princes = POLO
10. Frankie Vaughan wanted it = MOONLIGHT
11. Feline equipment = KITKAT
12. Garden flowers = ROSES
13. Assorted girls = DOLLY MIXTURES
14. Dairy holder = MILK TRAY
15. Marriage arranger = MATCHMAKERS
16. Edible fasteners = CHOCOLATE BUTTONS
17. Wobbly infants = JELLY BABIES
18. Big bus = DOUBLE DECKER
19. Gem orchard = OPAL FRUITS
20. Spin around = TWIRL
21. Istanbul harem = TURKISH DELIGHT
22. Up out there = MILKY WAY
23. Even more up out there = GALAXY
24. Big cats pub = LION BAR
25. Noisy insects = HUMBUGS
26. One who wanders = TREKKER
27. Musical bards = MINSTRELS
28. It’s a party = CELEBRATIONS
29. Outside meal = PICNIC
30. Locals from Malta = MALTESERS
31. Reward = BOUNTY
32. Ten cent pub = DIME BAR
33. Toothless drunk = WINEGUMS
34. Pub pins = SKITTLES
35. Fireworks couldn’t work without them! = FUSE

Kate reels in red nose cash

2009-03-20T22:47:00.011Z

Fri March 20th 09, 10.48pm
With all the bids in, I'm delighted to report that our Comic Relief campaign has raised nearly £200. From a lesson in fly-fishing to a specially created pop-art poster Fantastic Fireworks staff came up trumps not just with their offers but their bids. A special thanks to Kate who organised the auction and to everyone who took part.

Le Manoir celebrates in style

2009-03-17T22:07:00.004Z

Tues March 17th 09, 10.08pm

One of the country's best-known restaurants celebrated its 25th birthday tonight with a huge party and fireworks display. Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons near Oxford is a byword for culinary excellence. To thank the local community for their suppport, M Blanc laid on a band, food, drink and Fantastic Fireworks set to his favourite French music. David Willsher designed the 15-minute display which was fired by Paul Roberts, assisted by Justin Petty, Rino Sampieri and Dave Twydell.

Time to flash your cash!

2009-03-12T15:55:00.004Z

Thurs March 12th 09, 3.56pm
Hi everyone. As Kate’s on holiday this week she has asked me to let you know all the offers that have come in for our Comic Relief auction tomorrow. We have had a very good response & thanks to all who have contributed.

Here they are:

From Hayley - some custom-made jewellery
From Turney – a fly-fishing lesson for beginners
From Linda – a box of 10 Phoenix greetings cards
From Jon – a Sunday afternoon out on his canal boat
From David – a bespoke pop art portrait
From Ian – an hour’s guitar lesson
From Ali – a weekend of pet sitting
From Craig Pamphilon – a day of kite making & flying
From Kate – a home-made cake

Now it’s down to everyone to flash their cash!

So, here’s what to do next: between now and Sunday evening please email Kate katem@fantasticfireworks.co.uk with your bids, as little or as much as you like, on as many items as you like. There is at least £250 worth of goods and services on offer so it would be great to raise at least that amount.

Kate will open the bids on Monday and email the results later that day.

Happy bidding & good luck!

Democracy Indian style

2009-03-10T06:24:00.008Z

Tues March 10th 09, 6.30am
Between the fizz and fun of fireworks, pyrotechnists do the odd bit of reading. My current paperback is The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga. This Booker prize-winning novel tells the story Balrham, an uneducated and impoverished Indian servant who escapes from the darkness of his squalid existence into the light of success, Indian style. Recognition, respect and riches become his but, in order to achieve them, he has to commit murder. There are some wickedly drawn insights in this delightfully dark and irreverent take on life in the world's largest democracy. One of them is when Balrham is chauffeuring his master, Mr Ashok, and his wife, Pinky Madam, to an important event. For amusement Mr Ashok asks him a few basic general knowledge questions. Laughing at his hopelessly wrong answers, Mr Ashok turns to Pinky Madam and sighs: 'See what democracy really means? Putting our glorious country in the hands of half-baked people like this.' Little does he know it but Mr Ashok's own life is very much in Balrham's hands. An excellent read.

We take on the Hamster in TV rocket duel

2009-03-04T22:56:00.007Z

Wed 4th March 09, 10.59pm
Amazing what you can find on YouTube. I didn't expect to see one of our rockets pitted against TV stuntman Richard Hammond until Steve in our Manchester office told me about it. And there it is, at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QheJ2Gc9l2c, British daftness at its best as the Hamster takes on our Whopper rocket and a golf ball to see who's fastest over 250 metres. Hammond is propelled by a 170mph motorbike in a stunt for the TV series Brainiac on Sky. I won't spoil the fun of it all by revealing the result. Just let me say that after watching it you may want to call Hayley in our Mail Order department on 0800 511 511 and place an order!

Fantastic Fireworks - Doing Something Funny For Money.

2009-03-02T13:20:00.008Z

Monday 2nd March 2009, 13.35

I am sure you are all aware that Comic Relief is now just a couple of weeks away. Here in the Fantastic Fireworks office we have been racking our brains to try to think of something we can all do that is not only good fun, but will raise a nice tidy sum for this brilliant cause. Finally we reached our decison, and I’m sure you will all on be tenterhooks as I reveal that our fabulous FF fundraising plan for 2009 is... an ‘Auction of Promises’.

So, we are asking all our office staff - plus any generous and willing Firers - to think of a ‘promise’ they can offer up for our big Comic Relief auction. This could be a skill or talent you could hire out (i.e. cookery, cake making, party planning), a lesson you could give (sports, languages, music, dancing), or a service you could offer to the highest bidder (pet sitting, car washing, gardening, to name but a few).

To get the red nose rolling, here’s a few brilliant donations we’ve had already...

From Jon – an afternoon out on his canal boat, gliding through the glorious English countryside!
From David – a unique pop art portrait of you or a loved one!
And from Ian – a balloon animal of your choice!!*

If you wish to take part and offer a ‘promise’ for the auction please email me ASAP. The auction will be open to bids from our extended FF Facebook family as well as us lovely bods in the office. Once all the 'promises' are in I will then open up the auction for bidding, so please keep an eye on this blog or on our Facebook page for updates.

So get your thinking caps on people - I will be looking forward to reading what you have to offer!!! ;o) For those not able to offer a 'promise', we do hope you will be happy to take part in the bidding... x

(*please note this offer may change, subject to public decency laws)

Terry camps out for a record

2009-02-27T20:46:00.003Z

Friday 27th Feb 09, 8.46pm
Firework stories don't come more bizarre and boggling than the one related to me today by our long-time pyro-pal Terry McDonald. Terry has led a long and varied life on the island of Jersey, from a spell as a drugs-buster in the CID to his current job as an undertaker. He is also the island's most senior pyrotechnician. But nothing could have prepared him for his present bind. This time two years ago Terry was gearing up to break the world rocket record created by Fantastic Fireworks in 2006. He'd bought 110,000 rockets from a UK supplier and all was set for the record attempt. But then local environmentalists rained on his parade and Jersey pulled the plug. That was just the start of Terry's problems. He was sitting on 110,000 rockets with no means of paying for them and nowhere legal to store them. That was back in August 2oo7. Today Terry is still the custodian of the rockets, which are stored in a quarry and guarded by him nightly from the Mission Control of his caravan. His supplier is threatening legal action to recover the debt and the state of Jersey is threatening to destroy the rockets. Taking my call between shifting bodies in the mortuary, Terry is cheerful but defiant. 'I set out to beat your rocket record,' he tells me, 'but instead of that I'm heading for a record 600 nights in my caravan!' And he has no intention of budging. 'I won't move until Jersey pay me the money they owe.' Judging by the present impasse, Terry could be facing many more nights in his caravan.

One Night In Bangkok

2009-02-25T12:03:00.003Z

Wednesday 25th Feb, 2009
In the immortal words of Murray Head "One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble". Sitting here I am readjusting to life back at Fantastic Fireworks after having spent the past two weeks travelling in Thailand. My adventures in Thailand are so many but so few that I can speak of. However when asked by Jon for a story the one of my almost kidnapping sprung instantly to mind. After landing in Bangkok and getting into my taxi, a conversation struck up with my driver in which he listed all the "delights" of Bangkok that he could get for me that night if I went to his hotel. After explaining that I just wanted to go to my hotel to sleep he drove me there and proceeded to drive past my Hotel 3 times. When I asked him what he was doing he explained that he was pointing it out so that once I had been to his hotel I could find my way back. As the car drove on towards his hotel and the driver refused to stop when asked, I was forced to jump out of a moving taxi and run away. I had to walk to my hotel in the end but as they say in Thailand "Mai ben rai" (No worries).

Desert Island Dreams (continued)

2009-02-18T18:20:00.002Z

Wed 18th Feb 09, 6.21pm
Our Desert Island Dreamers are back in action today, contemplating the fate of being marooned on an uninhabited island in the Pacific with no means of escape. This week's castaway is David Willsher, our Display Manager, who must be shedding tears at the thought of having to give up the love of his life...his brand new Mac! To console him in his weeks, months and even years of solitude, David has chosen the following eight disks:

U2 – One
Editors - Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors
Coldplay – Scientist
Coldplay – Fix You
Tracy Chapman – Fast Car
Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing
Bon Jovi – Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night
Goo Goo Dolls – Slide

'As a Ray Mears wannabe, my one luxury item would be a knife (apparently all you need). My priority would be to find water, food, shelter and work out how to make a fire. During the day I would busy myself with the main project of building a boat and during the evening I’d kick back and listen to some tunes. Watching all them Ray Mears repeats on Dave isn’t looking so silly now huh!?'

The new romantics get back in the groove

2009-02-15T10:16:00.005Z

Sunday 15th Feb 09, 10.16am
So how did you spend Valentines Day? Chocolates, red roses, a candle-lit dinner? The Fantastic Fireworks crew showed their romantic side by inviting their loved ones to spend the day (and evening) in the cold and soggy rough of a golf course! It was our first* display of the year and there were no shortage of volunteers to get back in the groove. But it wasn't just our dynamic duo of Andrew Gorton and Jules Gibson who put on a splendid show for a Valentine wedding. Out in the field helping them were John Harding and a trio of loyal ladies willing to forgo candle-lit dinners all for the fun of fireworks. However I'm sure they all made it to the pub just in time!Well done to them, and to David Willsher who designed a terrific show. The floating green lights on the eerily still lake looked like a scene from Titanic. If Celine Dion had burst into song at that moment there wouldn't have been a dry eye in the house!

* beating by a matter of minutes two more shows on the same night, fired by Justin Petty and Tony Smith, who also deserve a medal for Valentine Valour!

Dancing on Ice...

2009-02-12T13:02:00.004Z

Thursday 12th February 2009, 13.01
...Or should that be ‘Dancing With Death’? A tad dramatic I know, but after a close encounter with black ice, a bendy road and a bollard yesterday, I certainly feel like I used up one of my 9 lives.

I was on my way into Fantastic Fireworks when it happened – hitting a sheet of ice on a particularly sweeping curve in the road. After spinning for what seemed like an eternity I slammed to a halt as I bumped up sideways onto the pavement, ending up facing the direction I had just come from! Fortunately the other cars on the road were at a safe enough distance not to be affected, and even more thankfully, no-one was walking along the pavement at the time. I also managed to miss a bollard and a garden fence by a hairs-breadth, so in hindsight feel incredibly lucky to have escaped unscathed! It was hard to feel so positive at the time though. After managing to get myself off the pavement and out of everyone’s way, shock soon began to set in and with uncontrollably trembling knees and a knot in the bottom of my stomach I was forced to pull over. My lovely colleagues were notified, and far too frightened to continue with my journey, I abandoned my car and began the long walk home.

After a day of rest and recuperation I’m now back in the office, and very glad to be too! I couldn’t be more pleased to be an office-based bod (at least for these horrid winter months) and I am full of admiration for our Firing Teams who struggle on in all conditions imaginable to ensure we deliver spectacular displays each and every time. As for me, I’m now thinking of investing in a team of Husky’s and a sled. I’ll let you know how I get on! x

The case of the vanishing Wispas

2009-02-09T22:15:00.006Z

Mon 9th Feb 09, 10.16pm
If the gross weight of staff at Fantastic Fireworks tips the scales more in the direction of gross this week, look no further than the broom cupboard under the stairs. That's where I have been forced to hide a box containing 480 Wispa bars which were delivered to Rocket Park this morning. Actually, make that 466. For within minutes of their arrival, they started to disappear! This treasure chest of chocolate was a reward from Cadbury's to the pyrotechicians and backroom staff who helped in the making of the Wispa TV commercial in December. But like children in a candy shop our sweet-toothed sisterhood were soon tucking in, dragging David down with them! I've had to take action to avoid a complete meltdown. Hopefully my broom cupboard hideout will enable me to conserve enough stock to feed the Wispa team who gave their services free of charge while leaving a good number for local charities. If I succeed, it should be a weight off the minds, and bodies, of Linda, Kate, Annie, Gail & Hayley! Oh, and David.

We're all white...

2009-02-06T11:17:00.004Z

Friday 6th Feb 2009
Just in case you were starting to panic by the lack of contact from us here at Fantastic Fireworks or tried to phone yesterday to find that our telephone was temporarily out of service....let me put your minds at rest. It's business as usual at Rocket Park despite the snow which has limited our numbers slightly! Turney has been in and cleared the snow away from the gates and doors. Tom has braved the weather and walked for an hour and a half to get here and I've reluctantly relinquished the santuary of my warm cosy car to walk up from Markyate. The catastrophic effects of walking onto driving snow on hair and makeup can not be underestimated. Thank goodness no-one was here to see me when I arrived!

There's Snow Business Like The Pyro Business!

2009-02-02T13:13:00.002Z

Monday 2nd February 2009, 1.15pm
Looking out of the window today at Rocket Park I am greeted by a wonderfully white & wintery view. The trees and surrounding countryside appear to have been liberally sprinkled with icing sugar and all looks serene and beautiful. Easy to say though when you're sat in a warm and cosy office - and if only the snow really were as sweet and harmless as icing sugar!! Only a handful of us die-hard workers have made it in today; those who did practically slalomed their way through our big green gates this morning! Conditions all across the country seem to be getting worse, hundreds of schools have closed, and Luton airport (amongst many others) has suspended all flights. It's amazing how something so pretty can cause so much chaos! Linda, Tom, Jon & I are now sat watching anxiously, wondering how long we leave it before we try to venture home. Judging by the speed it's coming down now, I really don't think we'll be in the office too much longer.... As much we all love our jobs, I'm sure none of us are really relishing the idea of a Fantastic Fireworks sleepover tonight! ;o)

Thanks for the memory

2009-01-30T22:27:00.005Z

30 Jan 09, 10.26pm
Browsing the internet tonight I unexpectedly came across a blog recording the finest moment in the history of Fantastic Fireworks - the display which celebrated Liverpool's 800th birthday. It was a pleasure to read such a glowing account and to be reminded of that perfect summer night back in August 2007, with a full moon shining out of a cloudless sky. As the clock on the Liver Building struck 10pm the waterfront erupted. Simon Jones takes up the story...'The firework display was quite simply the most amazing firework display I’ve ever seen, beating that 4th of July firework display in Boston (USA) back in 2000. Fireworks were fired from the top of the Liver Building, the catholic cathedral and the church of England cathedral, as well as a barge on the river Mersey. The £250,000 18 minute display was timed to perfection and set to music that was broadcast around the city and on a local radio station. What these photographs fail to give you a sense of was the enormity of the display that stretched across the entire city in perfect time. It truly was a beautiful, awesome spectacle.' Thanks Simon for this trip down memory lane. You can read his full blog and see the photos at http://www.beforeiforget.co.uk/2007/happy-birthday-liverpool/#comments

Don't be fooled by rocketing firework prices!

2009-01-28T23:06:00.003Z

28 Jan 09, 11.06pm
David has been telling me how expensive he found his recent weekend trip to Dublin. With a pint of beer costing 5 euros, that's very nearly a fiver a pint! It's the same with the dollar. With the pound sinking from 1.90 a year ago to 1.40 today, anything priced in dollars will cost you 35 per cent more in pounds. That's why petrol prices have crept up again recently & why Chinese firework imports, which are also priced in dollars, will rocket in cost this year. The good news for Fantastic Fireworks customers is that we will be one of the very few UK firework companies not be raising our prices. That's because we anticipated the fall in sterling and bought our entire 2009 stock at 2008 prices. If you hear of any customers of other companies being told that fireworks price rises are unavoidable, please refer them to us!

It's a Dogs Life...

2009-01-26T13:43:00.003Z

Mon 26th Jan 09, 1.43pm
Ali and I have just been out walking Bertie & Louis. All you animal lovers out may find the following amusing...

Excerpts from a Dog's Diary
8:00am - Dog food! My favourite thing!
9:40am - A walk in the park! My favourite thing!
10:30am - Got rubbed and petted! My favourite thing!
12:00pm - Lunch! My favourite thing!
3:00pm - Wagged my tail! My favourite thing!
7:00pm - Got to play ball! My favourite thing!
8:00pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favourite thing!
11:00pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favourite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat's Diary:
Day 983 of my captivity. My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies". I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow - but at the top of the stairs. I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded. The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now.....

A double whammy weekend

2009-01-23T23:24:00.003Z

Fri 23 Jan 09, 11.25pm
The end of another week and I can reveal that Bonfire Night is only 286 days away! With November 5th falling on a Thursday we will soon start preparing for another manic week. Our order book for Saturday the 7th is already full, the 5th is filling up fast and the previous Saturday (October 31st) is not far behind. With Halloween rivalling Bonfire Night in the country's love affair with things that go bump in the night, it's a good opportunity for the fireworks industry to get in on the act. Let's keep the kids off the street with a Spooktakular display and call it Fright Night! It's already happening at places like Thorpe Park and with Halloween being a Saturday, fireworks should enjoy another double whammy weekend.

The Event Show 2009 - do come & see us!

2009-01-21T17:31:00.002Z

Wednesday 21st January 2009, 17.30
Good afternoon everyone! It's been a busy day in the office today as Hayley, David, Annie & I have dutifully minded the phones while the rest of the team man our super-duper Fantastic Fireworks stand at the Event Show at Olympia. We've been receiving regular updates in the office and all seems to be going well. By the sounds of things Linda, Ali & Jon have had a busy time, spending any quiet moments surveying the competition and checking out the in-house entertainment! It's my turn to take over tomorrow, along with David and Jon, and I'm looking forward to it. We shall all be there, armed with brochures, a warm smile and ready for a chat about the wonderful world of fireworks. Maybe we'll see you there?...

http://www.eco.co.uk/visitors/whatson/trade/2009/the-event-show-09/

Wispa - the sequel

2009-01-19T22:59:00.002Z

Mon 19th Jan 09, 11pm
The makers of the Wispa TV commercial, aired just before Christmas, have promised Fantastic Fireworks a special moment when it reappears in March. Fallon, the ad agency responsible, are planning a series of follow-ups thanking the contributors. The 'feature-length' ad, celebrating the return of Britain's favourite chocolate bar, included more than 300 volunteers ranging from morris-dancers to our team of pyrotechnicians. Cadburys, the makers of Wispa, plan to make a donation to Children in Need with the money they saved.

If you haven't already looked up the answers to my Pub Quiz on Saturday, here they are:

1. Sheffield 2. Sir Alex Ferguson 3. Nicholas Lyndhurst 4. Kiki Dee 5. Zinc 6. Cornwall 7. Genesis 8. Nick Clegg 9. Alexander Fleming 10. Capricorn 11. Public Limited Company 12. Kiefer Sutherland 13. Swimming14. Benedict 15. Chippendale 16. Doves 17. Daniel Day Lewis 18. Mother Teresa 19. Agnetha 20. 1812 21. Dame Kiri te Kanewa 22. Bucket 23. Alexandra Burke 24. Italy 25. Mercury.

If you got more than 20 you are the new champions!

Your turn to take the Pub Quiz test

2009-01-17T12:39:00.003Z

Sat 17th Jan 09, 12.40pm
Yesterday I promised to post the 25 Pub Quiz questions which exercised the finest minds of Fantastic Fireworks. Today it's your go. Answers on Monday.
1. In which English City would you find the Crucible Theatre?
2. Who is the manager of Manchester United?
3. Who played Rodney in Only Fools and Horses?
4. Which female vocalist duetted with Elton John on the hit ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’?
5. Which element has the chemical symbol Zn?
6. Which county in England shares its border with only one other county?
7. In which book of the Old Testament does the story of Cain and Able appear?
8. Who is the leader of the Lib Dem party?
9. In 1928, who discovered Penicillin?
10. If you were born on Christmas Day, which star sign would you be?
11. What do the initials PLC stand for after a company name?
12. Who stars as agent Jack Bauer in the TV series 24?
13. For which sport was Duncan Goodhew famous?
14. What is the name of the current Pope?
15. Which of the following is not a type of pottery: Ming, Chippendale, and Wedgwood?
16. What type of bird has varieties called Ring, Turtle and Collared?
17. Who won the Oscar for ‘Best Actor’ last year in the film There will Be Blood?
18. Who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work with the poor in India?
19. Who teamed up with Benny, Bjorn and Annafried to form ABBA?
20. Which overture has a date in the title and features cannons and bells in the music?
21. Which Opera singer sang a solo and Charles and Diana’s wedding in 1982?
22. In Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, what was Charlie’s surname?
23. Who won last year’s X Factor?
24. From which country does Gorgonzola cheese come?
25. Which planet is nearest the Sun?

Pub Quiz Champions

2009-01-16T23:06:00.002Z

Friday 16th Jan 09, 11.06pm
After a hard day down at The Half Moon debating the future shape of Fantastic Fireworks it was only fair to give our office staff some rest and relaxation. Cue The Pub Quiz. Twenty-five hair-tearing questions ranging from which book of the Old Testamant do Cain & Abel appear in to who won an Oscar for best actor for his role in the film There Will Be Blood. In a rare admission of guilt that they spend too much time reading the Bible and watching films, Steve and Dave from our Manchester office were declared winners with 20 correct answers. Tomorrow I will post the 25 quetions to test the general knowledge of our blog followers. No cheating!

Going green!

2009-01-14T16:53:00.004Z

Wednesday 14th January 2009, 16:55
Here at Fantastic Fireworks we are starting off the New Year the way in which we intend to carry on! As of today, we are starting a new recycling initiative, one that will not only help the environment, but also benefit a brilliant charitable cause too. So a double-whammy of good things rolled up into one easy-peasy task! We are collecting up all used toners, cartridges, PDA’s and old mobile phones (I’m sure we all have several each, the size of bricks, lurking at the bottom of the ‘junk drawer’ at home!) and we will be sending them off to an organisation that will not only recycle each item, but donate a percentage of the re-sale cost to our chosen charity.

We are thrilled to be doing our bit in the office. If any of our Firer’s/regular visitors to FF would like to join us in going green in 2009, we would be more than happy to send your cartridges/old mobiles off with our own... You know where we are :o)

Polishing, Laundering, De-Clogging

2009-01-13T18:29:00.002Z

13 Jan 09, 6.45pm
And out in The Shires, the firing fraternity are also preparing themselves for the year ahead. There are head-torches to be found, de-batteried, re-charged and re-batteried, nips to be sharpened and polished (shiny nips are a matter of pride for many firers), overalls to be laundered and pressed (gotta get rid of that pink), thermals to be washed and aired (some for the first time), boots to be de-clogged and re-laced, belts to be extended by one notch (again), stop watches to be stopped (and, in some cases, re-started), SatNavs to be re-tuned to Planet Earth, brew kits to be re-stocked, anemometers to be . . . er . . . checked, and underwear to be strengthened for the rigours and stresses of hand firing.

There's a lot to do. But by the time your read this we'll be ready for the 2009 season. Bring it on !

Filing, dialling & smiling

2009-01-12T23:04:00.005Z

Mon Jan 11th 09, 11.06pm
This is the time of the year when firework companies do their house-keeping. Tom & the team outside are cleaning hundreds of mortar tubes, stakes & pegs, rewiring firing systems & stock taking; in the office Ali, Linda, Kate & David are busy calling customers, booking this year's displays & updating files before the new season gets under way. Up in our Manchester office Steve & Dave are selecting fantastic new effects from China including Smiley Face shells and 3D revolving wheels. I've been looking though the best of our photos from 2008. This one comes from our Hampton Court display for the RHS and captures a comet candle sequence in a series of fans which neatly complement the conical trees which lead down to the Long Water.

Blast from the past

2009-01-08T12:55:00.003Z

08 Jan 09, 12.55pm
The wish to master fire was at the very roots of early firework devlopment. The Chinese were the first, and soon Europe developed techniques and technology. Somewhere between China nd Europe technology got stuck somewhere in history.

Here in Sri Lanka we have just come through the peak firework time of the year spread between Christmas and New Year. Numerous roadside stalls and quick makeshift pavement displays were loaded with crudely made and brightly packaged fireworks of several shapes but not it seems several types. They all go BANG. None that I saw bore any written descriptions or instructions. That's what they like and that's what they get. No colour, no effects, no real height or performance and no tiresome safety instructions. Just bangs, loud and numerous.

As the fusilades of crackers and bangs did not need darkness to be appreciated we were treated to about 10 days of bangs and cracks at all hours. 100 miles to the North-East of our house real bombs and bullets are being used in a real war, and it is suprising that the quantity of machine-gun crackers or huge bomb-type explosions are tolerated by the authorities or enjoyed by the populace.

I hope to visit a Sri Lankan firework factory, so a further report on this primative industry soon perhaps.

Desert Island Dreams (4)

2009-01-08T00:25:00.003Z

07 Jan 09, 12.26am
As we shiver into work each morning, it's time once again to think of that far-off, sun-kissed desert island where we can forget the credit crunch and Celebrity Big Brother. This week it is the turn of Tom Clark, our operations manager, to choose the eight discs he would take to his Shangri-La:

ELO – Mr Blue Sky (Every day should start with this song, It will cheer you up from even the worst of moods).

The Wildhearts – 29X The Pain (Never has a song been written that so accurately captures my teenage years).

Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah (Brings a tear to the eye of even the coldest of hearts).

The Darkness – Love On The Rocks With No Ice (For no other reason than I did live pyro for them during this song).

Johnny Cash – Hurt (A man looks back on what he has done with his life)

Therapy? – Screamanger (The very first record I ever brought on a cassette EP and I still own it).

Thunder – Love Walked In (A song about love at first sight by my favourite band of all time).

The Beatles – You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away (A perfect pop song from my favourite Beatles Album HELP!)

Luxury Item
A fully inflated basketball which I could then paint a face on, name and talk to in order to keep me company (thanks to Mr T. Hanks for that idea)

How would I cope?
I plan to pass the time by building my own luxury beach villa with a pool, tennis court and gardens…..why? So that If someone of the opposite sex also happens to get stranded on my island, I will be ready for her!

Tom, it has been a pleasure hearing your choices. I'm even more impressed because at the time of choosing, in early December, most people had never heard of Hallelujah!

Walking through fire

2009-01-05T23:07:00.005Z

Monday 5th Jan 09, 11.05pm
Of the several books I received as Christmas presents, one stands out: The Damned United by David Peace. This brilliant novel charts the rise and fall of the late football manager Brian Clough, who took Derby County to the Football League championship in 1972 but then fell spectacularly from grace at Leeds United. Managing a football team is very like managing a business, you have to have a clear vision of your goal and then motivate your team to achieve it. In Peace's compellingly readable account of one of English football's greatest managers, Clough is portrayed as someone who achieved his remarkable success by bullying, humiliating and belittling his players. The amazing thing is that they loved him for it. They wanted to play for him. They would walk through fire for him. Anyone running a business would love to have a team like that. We certainly have one here at Fantastic Fireworks. Walking through fire is what we do every weekend and I never have to say a word!

Fattened up for Christmas!!

2008-12-31T12:43:00.007Z

Wed 31st Dec 08, 13.00.
Hello everyone & Happy New Year (well almost!) It seems I have the honour of the very last Fantastic Fireworks blog of 2008. I hope you are all looking forward to the New Year and that you’ve all had a fabulous Christmas – I know I did! I received some lovely presents and have eaten my way through monstrous amounts of yummy food! I see from previous blogs that poor Tom received the extra special gift of Man-Flu for Christmas – well I think my most unwanted present has to be the 27stone I feel I have put on over the last few days! Thankfully no-one else is in the office right now to see me sat here in my pyjama's... they were all I could find to fit me this morning.

As I sit here, roly-poly -ing about my desk, it’s got me thinking about New Years Resolutions. Mine is going to be (as usual) to eat more healthily, do more exercise, and get that washboard stomach we all secretly dream of at long last! I’ve not quite managed it so far, but who knows, 2009 could just be the year...

It makes me wonder what New Years Resolutions everybody else is aiming for this year? Please do share – especially if they are more adventurous (or at least slightly more achievable) than my own! I will look forward to reading them... ;o)

It's Mother's Resting Day

2008-12-29T10:06:00.004Z

Monday 29th Dec, 08, 10.06
I hope this day finds you all well, not suffering too much from the over-indulgence of Christmas. I was impatient, waiting for the family to wake up on Christmas morning to open their presents (we did have a late night Christmas Eve) . I wonder how many of you still have to hide presents from the big kids?? and l do mean the big kids !! I have to put colours on ours but no names. The Big kids in my family will press, squeeze & shake all the parcels just to see if they can guess what they are, will they receive whatever was on their wish lists ? It was a lazy day for me Boxing Day, getting ready for the next 5 days in the Fantastic Fireworks retail shop. I shall be eagerly awaiting our regular & new customers coming in for their New Year's Eve fireworks,
which brings me to wishing everyone a good holiday & a Very Happy New Year. I hope to see you all soon.
Tina

The Unwanted Present.

2008-12-27T11:47:00.003Z

Sat 27 Dec 08, 11.50am
Every year Santa comes and gives presents to all the people on earth and this year was no exception. This year Santa brought me an early Christmas present, The Flu. Thanks Santa!
Yes I have been struck down with the dreaded Flu virus since Christmas Eve and today is a good day as I have finally got my voice back after not having it for 2 days.
Apart from feeling rubbish all Christmas I did have a very nice Christmas Day back on the Parents Farm where all the usual festive traditions were had including Turkey, Presents and The Doctor Who Christmas Special.
So before I head off to take even more medicine and down yet another bottle of Lucozade I will take this opportunity to wish all the Fantastic Fireworks Blog readers a very Happy New Year and I will see you all next year.

Merry Christmas & Farewell for now...

2008-12-23T12:29:00.005Z

23rd December 2008, 12:30pm

Well it's Christmas Eve's Eve and we are all busily scurrying around the office, finishing off those last few jobs before we can close up for the holiday season. The office is looking very festive, and we all can't wait to tuck into the veritable feast that Tina has kindly prepared for us all! (I think we'll all easily go home a stone heavier than when we arrived today!) There is a huge box upstairs groaning under the weight of the assorted - and somewhat curiously shaped(!!) - Secret Santa presents. I can't wait to see what everyone's got... I just hope there's not too many tears or blushing!

I have been with Fantastic Fireworks for 3 months now and am still enjoying every minute of it, thanks to all the lovely people I work with. I just want to wish you all the Merriest of Christmas's and look forward to seeing you all in 2009 x

The 12 Days of Christmas

2008-12-22T12:47:00.003Z

Monday Dec 22nd 12.47pm
Thank you Emma for providing the following insight into life as a firer:
So while I was heading home from Bush Hall last night, having consumed a near-illegal quantity of Beecham’s Flu Plus, I needed something to keep my highly caffeinated brain occupied while I drove 150 miles down the M4. And I came up with the 12 days of Christmas, Fantastic style – thought it might give you a giggle.

To be sung to the traditional tune…

On the 12th Day of Christmas, Fantastic Fireworks gave to me…
Twelve five-inch tubes,
Eleven Ginster’s Pasties,
Ten candle frames,
Nine cable ties,
Eight hanks of match,
Seven rolls of gaffer,
Six cups of tea,
Five feet of grey…
Four firing orders,
Three cake boards,
Two garden rakes,
And a Travel Lodge on the M3…

Wispa makes a sparkling return

2008-12-21T01:02:00.004Z

21 Dec 08, 1.03am

A big thank you and well done to everyone from Fantastic Fireworks who took part in the Wispa TV commercial, which was aired last night. Paul Roberts & his team were but a few of the 300 volunteers whose efforts were squeezed into 90 seconds of colourful capers to celebrate the return of the chocolate bar. We can all be proud of the fact that the fireworks occupied a full 30 seconds and looked absolutely stunning. Perhaps the best moment was seeing the Wispa name sparkling away centre stage. This was made at our Rocket Park HQ by one of our new technicians, Turney Logan, who can be delighted at seeing his handiwork on prime time TV. To view the commercial, click here.

We Three Kings

2008-12-20T11:49:00.004Z

20 Dec 08, 11.49am
Around this time on a Saturday morning I'd usually be listening to Jonathan Ross on Radio 2. Today it's Liza Tarbuck and it's not quite the same. Liza has a pleasant homely style but there was something matey about Jonathan & Andy's banter that made their Saturday show worth tuning into. I hope they're back on air soon. Waiting to see how long Liza could hold my attention, I heard her talking about how in Roman times everyone had to eat cabbage to fight off illness. OK it's this sort of 'factoid' that makes Steve Wright so enjoyable but it wasn't rivetting enough to keep me hanging on for more. I turned over to Radio 4 to find Ian Hislop also talking about the Roman Empire. A slightly odd coincidence but I decided to give it a chance. We Three Kings investigated the origins of the Christmas story and its modern day symbol of present-giving. Ian Hislop has this wonderful ability to draw the listener into his journey with images we can all understand. He drew the parallel between the Kings bearing gifts and today's Christmas cracker with its own symbolic gift, the hat you wear like a crown and the joke which, like the Christmas message, fills us with tidings of great joy. Hislop is an excellent broadcaster with a great sense of comic timing. Radio 2 should give him the Saturday morning show!

(New Improved) Desert Island Dreams (3)

2008-12-19T20:38:00.006Z

19 Dec 08, 8.38pm
My castaway this week is someone who, prior to joining Fantastic Fireworks, spent several years in France. Today she has swapped the country of Napoleon for the the challenge of marshalling our display teams and giving them their marching orders. France remains a strong influence in the life of Linda Sherriff, as we will shortly find out. So Linda, how do you feel about being cast away?

'Well Kirsty, I mean Jon, I’d be quite happy on a Desert Island, for a while anyway. No washing, shopping, cleaning, working….in fact it’s starting to sound quite appealing, especially if the Island is warm and sunny! I’d have to take my memory foam mattress with me, don’t mind roaming about during the day hunting for food and water but do need a good night's sleep.'

And now tell us your eight choices...

Celine Dion: My Heart Will Go On & On Ne Change Pas. My favourite easy listening artist which I sing along to in the car, unfortunately not quite as well as Celine!
Jean Jacques Goldman: La Bas & Puisque Tu Pars : I could pick any of his songs but particularly like these 2 ballads, Fond memories of his concert in Vincennes, Paris swaying with the crowd with my cigarette lighter aloft!
The Pogues & Kirsty McCall: A Fairytale of New York. Had to pick one Christmas classic and this is my all time favourite.
Queen: Killer Queen & Bohemian Rhapsody. Such classics and I’m proud to own the Bohemian Rhapsody single from 1975 (for those of you who remember the good old days of records!!)
Squeeze: Cool for Cats & Up The Junction. Another one from my record collection is Cool for Cats in Pink Vinyl….now how cool is that!!
James Blunt: Wiseman
Abba: Andante Andante, Fernando & Waterloo. An absolute Abba fanatic in my youth, couldn’t possible just pick one of their songs as a favourite. Delighted to see their revival with the launch of Mama Mia the musical and the film which is brilliant.
Etienne Daho: Des Attractions Desastre

Well Linda Sherriff, by my reckoning that is 13 tracks, which is a diabolical liberty, but I'll let you off. Thank you for letting us share your Desert Island Dreams.

Dear Santa

2008-12-18T17:14:00.004Z

18 Dec 08, 5.20 pm
I've tried to be a good firer this year, really I have, but my equipment just doesn't seem to be up to the job. So here is my Xmas list for 2008:

1. Nips that cut when I want to cut and pull when I want to pull and not the other way round
2. Suit of armour (for displays on golf driving ranges)
3. Sea sickness pills (for the Bournemouth barge)
4. Waterproof trousers which are really waterproof
5. A SatNav which knows when to shut up and not state the bleedin' obvious **
6. Ever-Ready batteries which really are
7. Thermal underwear that makes a fashion statement
8. Ear defenders that remember to put themselves on before the show starts
9. A head torch that points where my hands are, not six inches to the left
10. And finally - a good night's sleep in November !

** Feel free to use this en route if Rudolph has a cold like last year when you couldn't find my house.

The Songs of Leonard Cohen

2008-12-17T18:38:00.012Z

17 Dec 08, 6.38pm
The song of the week is undoubtedly Hallelujah. But sitting at home writing the Fantastic Fireworks blog the version I'm listening to is not by X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke but by its original performer and composer, Leonard Cohen. It's not one of my favourite Cohen songs but it's another example of the depth of his repertoire. A couple of years ago I was listening to Desert Island discs when Kim Cattrall included another lesser known Cohen gem, Closing Time, as one of her eight choices. But for all those of us who remember Cohen's debut album The Songs of Leonard Cohen, released in 1967, songs like So Long Marianne, Suzanne & Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye are the ones we grew up with. There was an excellent Radio 4 programme recently entitled Leonard & Marianna which charted the the early life of a struggling Canadian poet and his Norwegian muse on the Greek island of Hydra. It inspired one of popular music's most emotive love songs. So Long Marianne, it's time we began, to laugh and cry, and cry and laugh, about it all again.

Strong Minded Women

2008-12-16T14:22:00.003Z

16 Dec 2008 1423hrs
Last Friday driving through Kensworth on my way to work when I heard Kensworth mentioned on Radio 5. The local village shop, which I was just passing, had been invaded by two masked thugs holding10 inch knives. Instead of giving in to the threats of the knife wielding yobs the small lady serving in the shop threw her hot tea over one and smashed the empty mug into the face of the other. They ran off taking very little with them.

On my way home tonight I think I shall take some flowers for her. Long live strong minded women.

Sweet Charity

2008-12-15T10:26:00.005Z

Monday 15th Dec 10.35am
We start off the week at Rocket Park with a dreary, foggy morning. Luckily the weather was more chipper yesterday whilst our very own Fantastic Fireworks Santa (AKA Tom) did his bit for charity and ran 3 miles dressed as Father Christmas in just 26 minutes! Not knowing Luton very well, I was not sure we were in the right place to begin with, until I saw a few hundred jolly Santas running along the road. Not being a keen runner myself, I joined a few other staff members and went along to Wardown Park to support Tom's efforts and cheered from the sidelines. It was a sterling performance and Tom has suceeded in raising over £100 for the Pasque charity. Perhaps this will inspire a few others to join Tom in next year's race?

When Harry Met Sir Ally

2008-12-14T07:56:00.004Z

14 Dec 08, 7.56am
There were no fireworks and if Shakespeare had been writing the headline in The Sun it might have read Match Ado About Nothing-Nothing. But as a guest at last night's 0-0 draw between Spurs and Manchester United I loved every minute. Seeing top stars like Cristiano Ronaldo & the £30 million Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov is every true football fan's dream. But it was United's J S Park (who cost just £4 million) who caught my eye. He was absolutely tiresless, buzzing like a hornet on the left, then on the right, then back in defence. No wonder Sir Alex Ferguson played him the full 90 minutes. By contrast Spurs' inspirational boss Harry Redknapp, is making the best of limited resources. He's revived the morale of a team who had lost all self-belief. I wonder if, given Sir Alex's spending power, he could have achieved the same success. At the age 0f 62, we'll probably never know. Well that's my Sunday football sermon over for the day. I shall soon be off to watch our very own human dynamo Tom Clark run himself into the ground. This morning's Santa Run at Wardown Park, Luton, is in aid of the Pasque Charity and we're pleased to be part of it.

A present from the past

2008-12-13T11:00:00.004Z

13 Dec 08, 08, 11.01am
A very fine bottle of claret is sitting on my desk. At this festive time of the year it's very tempting to open it. But this is no ordinary claret. It was brought in the other day by Tina, our office angel (who cooks, sows and generally looks after us). Chevalier Fantastic Fireworks 1996 is probably the only remaining unopened bottle from a case I bought some 10 years ago and gave as Christmas presents to our staff. Tina found it while clearing out the bedroom of her recently departed son and ex-FF employee, Scott, and thought I might like to have it back. Rather than drink it I've decided to have it framed and mounted in Reception as a souvenir of the 20th Century.

How exciting!

2008-12-12T13:38:00.002Z

12 Dec 2008 13:46
I was pleasantly surprised to find petrol for about 87p per litre last night. That's quite a drop from what we were all paying a few months ago. I have no idea why the price of fuel has come down so much recently, has it just become cheaper or have they suddenly found more oil?

As I was filling up the Louis van I thought about how much I paid for petrol when first started driving 6 years ago and I can't actually remember paying much less than 87p. That's brilliant and if it hadn't of been for a van with a leaky petrol tank I might have put more in than £10!

Do you remember what fuel cost when you first started driving?

A Once In A Lifetime Opportunity

2008-12-11T15:23:00.002Z

11 Dec 08, 3:30pm
On this cold and frosty day at Rocket Park the Display & Retail teams have been busy attending a very interesting training course, lead by the lovely Ali. I now know all sorts about fireworks and fusing that I didn’t before, and feel I can now chat to our wonderful Firers with a little more confidence! Though as interesting and exciting as I found the training to be, I am very thankful today has been theory based only! On comfy chairs in our warm & dry training room was certainly the best place to be, and I think I may just wait for a warm spring or summers day before I move onto the practical part outside! ;o)

In the meantime I am looking forward to a few days off from the office. I have mountains of Christmas shopping, Christmas card writing and Christmas tree decorating to be getting on with – Tina’s sparkly decorations in the office have certainly put me to shame and I fear it may be 2009 before I get mine done!! Even though I won’t be in the office it seems I just can’t keep myself away from Fantastic Fireworks related activities... On Sunday, Jon and I will be a two-person cheerleading squad for Tom’s Santa Run at Wardown Park, in aid of The Pasque Hospice. Please come along if you are free and wish to show your support to Tom and this fantastic cause. As well as the chance to watch Tom break the world land-speed record in a Santa suit, you may also get to witness us cheerleaders performing an extravagant pom-pom dance routine at the finish line....... I’m not guaranteeing it will happen... but do you really want to run the risk of missing out if it does...?

Dave draws the short straw on the 18th floor

2008-12-10T22:31:00.003Z

10 Dec 08, 10.43pm
No wonder Fantastic Fireworks people are a hardy breed. Apart from getting cold and wet there are many other hazards lying in wait - and that's not including the fireworks. We heard recently about James and Emma getting locked out on the roof of a tower block in Portsmouth. Tonight it was Dave Mannion's turn to suffer a tower failure. He was on the 18th floor of a Sheffield office block for a display to celebrate the reopening of the city's Lady's Bridge. After impressing the large crowd with a super show, Dave and his team were looking forward to getting their gear back down the same way as it came up - by the lift. That was before they discovered that the lift operator had finished work & gone home! Several trips up and down 18 flight of stairs later they finally completed the de-rig. Dave, I hope you sleep soundly tonight because you're out on another show in Salford tomorrow. The good news is that this one is on terra firma. After tonight's experience that will suit you right down to the ground!

SANTA 81

2008-12-09T10:04:00.003Z

09 Dec 08, 10.40am

This Sunday 14th December at Wardown Park in Luton The Pasque Charity ''Santa Run'' will be taking place. Fantastic Fireworks has entered a Team into this run and that Team is ME! I dont want your money but I do want your support. So if you fancy a good laugh at my expense or if you really do want to help by cheering me along then be at Wardown Park on Sunday. The race starts at 11.00 am which means that I will no doubt be in Hospital by 11.30 am.

Come on Number 81!