All About Dreamflight

Following their most recent trip to Walt Disney World Orlando, DOP Jon Boast is here to explain exactly what this important charity is all about:

It’s a quiet Sunday morning in July, in a meeting room at the London Hilton Hotel.

Filtering into the room are 14 volunteer photographers and camera folk. For the new members of the team, little do they know the experience they’re about to undertake. There is only so much briefing you can do when preparing someone for the organisation and event that is Dreamflight.

Fast-forward three months and that same hotel is alight with excitement. Characters from Star Wars are wandering around the reception, flight simulators are set up in the car park, Metropolitan Police dog puppies are running about, and, most importantly, 192 children are arriving from across the UK. Some faces stepping off their regional coaches are already glowing with excitement; others show a little anxiety at being away from home for what is often the first time in their young lives. Little do they know that any nerves will soon shift into friendships, fun, and a powerful sense of independence.

This is just the beginning of a life-changing 10-day trip for this year’s children.

Dreamflight began with its first trip in 1987, the brainchild of two British Airways cabin crew. Co-founder Pat Pearce is still involved today. It’s thanks to Pat, and a tireless army of volunteers, that this remarkable charity has taken thousands of children to Florida to experience the very best theme parks and rollercoasters Orlando has to offer.

But this trip is about far more than sunshine and thrill rides. Dreamflight offers children who are living with a serious illness or disability a chance to form lifelong friendships, grow in confidence, gain independence, and feel reassured that they are not alone in the challenges that led to their nomination.

The entire trip relies on groups of dedicated volunteers: doctors, nurses, physios, and the media team. The charity thrives only through the support of these individuals and through the invaluable help of companies such as Hireacamera.com.

Having been honoured to be involved since 2001, I took over leading the team and managing the trip photography in 2013. At that point I reached out to Guy and the brilliant team at Hireacamera to see if they would like to support our operation. Twelve years and hundreds of smiling faces later, their support has been vital to our work capturing these memories for the children, their families, and the charity’s fundraising and PR efforts.

With a 12-strong team of videographers and two trip photographers, the kit requirement is significant and increases year on year. Once in full swing, under the heat of the Florida sun, the team works around the clock to film life-changing moments - riding a rollercoaster for the first time, taking a first-ever swim, meeting a beloved superhero, or simply laughing with a new friend.

This year, Max White and I shot and edited thousands of photographs using one of the Sony A7 IV cameras, a selection of Sony lenses, and, occasionally, a speedlight to help battle those famously harsh Floridian shadows.

As a photographer, you will rarely have the opportunity to capture so many smiling faces and such pure joy. Everywhere you look on Dreamflight, children are beaming with the glow of their adventure - often alongside a big-hearted volunteer who helped make it possible.

Upon returning home, the children are exhausted but buzzing with stories to share with loved ones and carers. To accompany those stories, they receive a video of their trip and countless photographs in their personalised trip album. We’ve seen firsthand how treasured these become. Only this week we received an email from an adult who travelled on Dreamflight 15 years ago, asking if we could find copies of her photographs.

And sadly, for some families, these albums become priceless memories of children whose lives were all too short - making every image even more significant.

The media team exists purely thanks to the time, compassion, and energy of volunteers, and the generous support of companies such as Hireacamera.com. If you’d like to get involved or sponsor Dreamflight, please feel free to reach out:

jon.boast@dreamflight.org

@dreamflight_official

@jboasty_dop

A huge thank you to Jon and the Dreamflight Video Team for providing us with such a touching write-up and such wonderful photos. Head on over to the Dreamflight website to find out all about the next trip, plus information on how to donate, how to sponsor a child, and how to get involved yourself.

For other recent collaborations, just  Click here. and for everything else, just head to Hireacamera