John Bowler has been in the party industry for many years and currently runs the Balloon And Party Industry Alliance (BAPIA). Here he takes the opportunity to address a number of important issues, covering everything from BAPIA benefits to balloon releases.
“I am sure that like most (if not all) of you, I use social media and I know how frequently we all check our phones, tablets or laptops to see who has updated their status or posted new photos recently.
Because of this it is easy to be under the impression that once you post something on Facebook it is automatically read by everybody in the group. However, the truth is that not everybody reads every post, so here are a few of the latest BAPIA updates.
Home-based Business Insurance
I know that there are a lot of home-based businesses out there, especially in the décor and face-painting industry. We had a lot of enquiries asking if it was possible to secure insurance cover for equipment and stock, especially as in some cases the value was really quite significant.
With a scheme already in place for retailers and those working from a business premises, we worked with our insurance brokers to put together a business insurance package for home-based members. The end result is a two-tiered scheme offering business insurance at a discounted rate and giving excellent cover.
Full details can be found at www.bapiaonline.com/home-based-cover.
Balloon Release Statement
BAPIA has publicly stated that it no longer supports balloon releases in an effort to protect both the environment and our industry. We have had a fantastic response to this and a large number of balloon professionals agreed with this and supported it. If you would like more information please get in touch.
Chris Adamo Tour 2019
This was the big news of the year so far for us as Chris Adamo is the Mr Rock ‘n’ Roll of the balloon industry! Chris will be touring the UK in June/July 2019 and visiting six key locations around the country to share his skills with attendees.
BAPIA members will receive a discount on their booking but the classes will be open to everybody to attend.
Discounts with UK wholesalers
We are constantly striving to bring more benefits and resources to our members and will continue to do so. One such benefit is discounts with some wholesalers who are offering BAPIA members a discount code, for more information please get in touch.”