Committee Member: Paul I Pearce

Position and How long on committee: Treasurer - Since June 2010

Wholesaler, Manufacturer or retailer/decorator: NABAS Approved Teacher, Balloon Artist, Sculptor, Decorator and Children’s Entertainer working from industrial unit with home based Office

 

Family: Married to Pam, a full time partner in the business.   Two Daughters - Emma Jayne & Joanne, both married.  Grandson George Oliver

 

Home location: Lock Keepers Cottage, Coventry Canal, Tamworth, Staffordshire, in the Heart of the Midlands

 

Hobbies/interests: Grandson, Grandson, Grandson, Weston Super-mare, canal boating, holidays and visiting friends abroad, volunteering business and private time and skills in local town/community, gardening, drumming (kit is set up at unit), playing sudoku

 

Before I entered the balloon industry: I worked in Industry capital goods sales office of Clark Equipment Forklift Trucks starting as a very young office junior in the Midlands. Progressing through promotion to Rental Manager, then Sales Office Manager in Essex to Export Sales Manager of Used Equipment based back in the Midlands, before being made redundant - the company has since closed down.  Then ran own export sales company of forklift trucks till recession of 1989.   After being made redundant again from a Car Hire depot Managers position started own Disco and Entertainment Company called Sound Machine Roadshow in Tamworth. Then started twisting balloons, followed by Décor and Large Sculptures

Length of time in the industry: Since 1990 (twisting) 1996 Décor 1999 Sculptures

 

Industry qualifications: NABAS level 1, Ian Herd Intermediate Balloon Techniques, Qualatex Fundamentals, QBN & Qualatex Certified Balloon Artist. City & Guilds PTLLS to teach and NABAS Assessment to teach NABAS Approved courses.

 

Also attended IBAC 2004, Qualatex Events in UK and Amsterdam, many many Qualatex short courses on décor styles and techniques, Sky high, distortion techniques, Large Sculpture building techniques to name a few. Great British Balloon Company SDS training course. Assorted NABAS, Conwin and Wholesaler Seminars and Training days with a wide variety of industry instructors. Early twisting with “the Man in the Market” (read biog. on website), Michael Decker & Balloon College at Balloons to go Marvin Hardy Advanced Balloon Twisting course, more recently Graham Lee Care & Share, David Grist Memorial Days and Qualatex Q jams.

 

Awards & Accolades Gained in Industry
1^st Place - Large sculpture- International Party Show 2001 with Big wheel,

Entries also for NEC Large Sculpture – Helicopter, 2002, Balloos Brothers Band - International Party Show Telford 2003. NEC A ‘Paira’ Dice sculpture 2008, NEC 3^rd place centrepiece 2003, 2008.

 

Qualatex European Decoration Company of the Year – Awarded Amsterdam 2003.

 

Nabas Silver for Dice sculpture 2007, Trefoil Knot sculpture 2008

 

Where do I see myself in five years time? Still running this business that I am so very proud and passionate about.

 

Why did I decide to stand for the NABAS Committee and what can I offer the membership: Because I think I can continue to help and assist others in the industry with the same enthusiasm as was given to me when I first entered the industry. (And indeed still do get today). Would also like to be a part of the industry moving forward to a new level.

How would I like to see NABAS develop? I would like to see NABAS develop to become the industry recognised independent standard for all party and balloon training and skills in the UK, and be the place industry people come to for help and advice.

 

How do I think that encouraging instructors to gain a minimum teaching qualification will improve standards in the industry? For any person to have the title NABAS Approved Teacher they should want to have to achieve the required standard and prove that they can work to the NABAS guidelines of helping and assisting members of the industry advance their skills and knowledge.

 

How can NABAS encourage more members to be active and vote in committee elections? If you do not vote in any election for whatever reason, you don’t have the right to complain about what goes on with or without your knowledge. No man is an island we all need others. We could look into how to set up online voting via the website. We need to make NABAS more ‘visible’ and’open’ to its members so creating unity if NABAS supports members, hopefully members will want to be a part of it and have their say, if members know they will be listened too and given honest and truthful answers