A mother of three from Kings Langley is getting set to jet off to Denver in the USA to compete in the World Balloon Convention.

Joanne Dunne, 41, will complete in two categories, the 'large sculpture' and 'balloon hat' competition.

More than 900 balloon modelling professionals are expected to attend the convention, which features design, product and business classes as well as nine different balloon competitions. 

Watford Observer:

Joanne and her twin daughters, Lauren and Sarah

She is part of the GB Team for the large sculpture competition, and will build over a 27 hour period a sculpture using 30,000 balloons.  

As an individual competitor for the balloon hat competition Joanne plans to keep it very British with her take on The Mad Hatter’s hat from Alice in Wonderland.

Joanne also performs as a children’s magician and face painter going by the name of Auntie JoJo and hopes the convention, from March 26 to March 30, will open up doors and networking opportunities for the future as she becomes more involved with the balloon side of the business.

Joanne, who now lives in Coniston Road, was brought up in Watford having attended Kingsway Junior School and then Langleybury.

When she left school she started work as a secretary but then took time out to look after her children, Samuel aged 17 and 14-year-old twins, Sarah and Lauren.

During that time she became interested in face painting and then  balloon modelling and her career as a children’s entertained took off from there.

She is now qualified as a Certified Balloon Artist (CBA) with Qualatex and when she returns from Denver she aims to launch a new balloon décor business.