Local entrepreneur flying high as diversified kite business takes off

Now going into its sixth year, Managing Director Glenn Heasley along with his business partner, George Ellis have delivered thousands of Go Fly Your Kite workshops targeting a wide audience from schools, youth clubs, festivals, community groups and charitable events to corporate boardrooms.

However since the Covid-19 pandemic the team have learnt to quickly adapt to a changing market and have developed a DIY STEM isolation Boredom Buster Kite Box to help those families in lockdown. A mini kite workshop, the box has everything needed to make a personalised kite and encouraging children to get out into the garden or local park for their daily exercise.

“The originally idea for the business came from my then aged four year old son Oliver. I’d bought him a kite from a shop and he said it would be great if he could draw on it. The idea for Go Fly Your Kite was born,” said Glenn. 

“We promote positivity and a ‘can do’ approach for every participant - child or adult. This is really important from the outset to get the best from each individual and maximise their enjoyment. The workshops are much more than just the kite, it’s building self esteem, social interaction with peers, cross community and multi-cultural engagement as well as harnessing young people’s artistic skills for the future and, of course, it promotes physical activity getting outdoors and enhancing time spent with family and friends.

“But since the Covid-19 pandemic we have learnt to quickly adapt to a changing market and have developed a DIY STEM kite box. This is a mini workshop in a box with three kites, graphics, permanent markers and a lesson plan delivered to your door. Everything you need when you open the box to run your own kite workshop having fun through learning. Trace, colour, construct and fly your kites maintaining safe social distancing in your garden or local park.

“We have also been working with Connswater Greenway in East Belfast to help them engage with children in isolation. They will be running kite design competitions over the next few weeks and kites boxes will be coming through children’s letter boxes soon!”

Despite having existed for a long time, only recently have the therapeutic benefits of kites been considered through study and research.

Glenn continued: “We deliver art and science workshops to over 25,000 participants every year throughout UK & Ireland. Our age range is from four to 94 year olds. As well as de-stressing, designing your own kite takes people back to their childhood. The relaxing environment and creativity act as a release for those involved - it can be very therapeutic.”

Go Fly Your Kite was recently awarded the coveted Business All-Star Accreditation. The accreditation is over seen by the prestigious All Ireland Business Foundation whose adjudication panel is chaired by Dr Briga Hynes of the Kemmy Business School at the University of Limerick and  Ring, CEO of the Global Institute of Logistics.

Glenn added: “We’ve been fortunate earlier this year to become part of Ards & Down District Councils ANDSEP and SHINE business support and growth programmes. These

programmes have given us access to expertise mentoring from Brilliant Red and Digital 24 consultants.”

Glenn’s vision for the future is the further development of the business. He added: “We hope to create a franchise across the UK and Ireland within the next 12 months and to boost the online sales revenue. Go Fly Your Kite is a unique business concept that can be tailored for any group or organisation. We are about to start talks with Invest NI and we are confident for further business growth.”

* Are you a community organisation that would like to engage with children and young people in lockdown anywhere in the UK or Ireland? Then why not check out their DIY kite box goflyyourkite.com/shop

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you