IN PICTURES: Hot air balloon business owner passionate about bringing novelty and colour to Northants skies

Jamie Edwards is the director of Molly Mae Ballooning and as well as trying to showcase nostalgic and much-loved balloons to the public, he aims to make it more accessible across the county.

Ballooning has been a hobby of Jamie’s since 2008 and it was not until the end of last year when he decided to establish Molly Mae Ballooning as a business, which he described as a natural progression.

Molly Mae Ballooning is an aerial marketing agency offering advertising on the side of hot air balloons, and Jamie says this passion started as a child when he visited the Balloon Festival. It was his nan who helped him turn his fascination into a hobby.

The business is named in honour of Jamie’s premature daughter who passed away in 2008, as he envisions this is something they would have done together.

Jamie never thought he would have children again and when he last spoke to the Chronicle & Echo in November 2025, he was expecting another daughter – which motivated him to create a legacy for his family with Molly Mae Ballooning.

At the end of April, Molly Mae Ballooning and Bristol-based MJ Ballooning teamed up to take to the county’s skies. Jamie launched the Maxwell Coffee Jar hot air balloon from Billing Aquadrome.

This was an old town favourite in the nineties and has been preserved thanks to the fantastic work of the British Balloon Museum and Library. It flew over the town and landed just off the A4500.

The following evenings saw MJ Ballooning’s Panasonic Battery balloon being flown. It was launched from Billing Aquadrome and landed on the Racecourse, covering two locations where the town’s Balloon Festival has been held.

MJ Ballooning has a vast collection of novelty balloons, including old favourites like Sonic and Action Man, and there are plans to bring more to the county in the coming months.

“People are really excited about the fact that hot air balloons are becoming more common across the county, and that there are opportunities to get involved and learn more,” said Jamie.

“MJ Ballooning has the biggest collection of special shapes in the UK and they’re keen to get them flying. There’s not that many people who want to fly them or have the experience.”

Jamie stepped up to the plate to bring some positivity to the county, which received an “incredible response” and brought back lots of memories for residents. He was pleased to see photos shared all over social media community pages.

The orange slice and ice cream, pictured below, are the next unique hot air balloons to take to the skies. This will either be this month or next, depending on the weather conditions, and Molly Mae Ballooning will keep social media followers updated.

Jamie’s most recent purchase was a balloon that companies can lease to advertise using banners. A custom sign is a fraction of the cost of buying a hot air balloon themselves.

For more information on Molly Mae Ballooning, visit the business’ website here.

Let’s take a look at these stunning pictures provided by Molly Mae Ballooning…