Welcome to the survey for stakeholders of Mass Helium Balloon Releases.  You have been invited as part of a small select group to take part in this quick survey that aims to collate the current understanding by stakeholders on issues surrounding mass helium balloon releases in an outdoor environment. This survey and final report is part of a MSc dissertation project by Genevieve Labram under the supervisor Prof. Brendan Godley, from the University of Exeter, UK.

Information from this study will be used to identify areas of research needed on the topic of mass helium balloon releases and their potential impact on the environment, as well as ensuring the final report recognises your areas of concern on the topic. This is an excellent opportunity to provide details on your experiences of balloons, releases and their aftermath.

We are seeking the support of a range of stakeholders that have a particular interest in the topic of mass release of helium balloons, including but not limited to:
Animal Welfare Charities, Environmental NGOs, UK and EU based Helium Balloon Artists and Manufacturers, and Authors of peer reviewed papers on the subject.

If you agree to participate in the study you are invited to complete this online questionnaire,  which should take approximately 10 minutes. Participation is entirely voluntary and you can withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason. Please be assured that all responses are anonymous and details on individual responses will not be included in the report without your explicit permission.

 We encourage you to pass this survey onto additional stakeholders (see above) to help increase the coverage of this study and validity of these results. Results from both the survey and full report will be available by late autumn 2016.  Please aim to send responses by the end of June 2016  *Edit: Deadline extended to 7th July*.

Thank you very much for your participation and engagement,
Yours sincerely,
Genevieve Labram
University of Exeter


General Information and Definitions:
Please note :
 ***We are defining "mass helium balloon releases" as when 10 or more individual helium balloons intentionally released together outside during a given event***

There are two common classes of helium balloons that are intentionally or unintentionally part of mass balloon releases;  Mylar (metallic) and Latex (rubber). Mass helium balloon releases are commonly found during events and celebrations across the world and mostly comprise of the latex variety, however both are included in this study.

Publication:
The data from this survey will be used in the MSc dissertation of GL and, potentially, a peer reviewed scientific publication summarising key findings.  Responses and contact details will be strictly anonymous and not individually identifiable. If you have any questions about the study, please contact Genevieve Labram at gl301@exeter.ac.uk