The Fire Breather

The Firebreather

WARNING!

Flames may in certain circumstances be fun and spectacular,

but they are also potentially very dangerous!

Fire eating and fire breathing are two of the most dangerous and potentially lethal acts performed.

Experimenting without knowledge may be fatal!

Here are some pictures of Fire breathing

at a

Halloween Party in Chelmsford, Essex

with some interesting shaped flames

on Saturday 29th October 2011.

Fire Breathing with long flames is OK when Not Windy Fire breathing in Essex for Halloween party in Chelmsford with the Fire Breather Flames from the Essex based Fire Breather at a Halloween Party in Chelmsford Halloween Fire Breather at a party in Chelmsford Essex Fire Breathing is an art which is dangerous. Please do not try this at home. Flames may be long or short and singe or multiple by the Fire Breather

Halloween Party Hosts Sarah and Paul booked the Fire Breather A thank you e-mail arrived with the pictures and reads as follows

Hi Richard and Linda,

Thank you for coming to our party on Saturday, it was brilliant that you were both there. Paul and I were really pleased that you were here and part of it and hope you both enjoyed it all. Our chef 'Pete the meat' told us that you enjoyed the food!!!

I'm still waiting for the photos from Julie but I have attached the ones I took and some of the people watching too! I will write you a testimonial and send it over with the other photos as soon as I get them.

Lots of Love
Sarah and Paul as seen on the picture ( Left )

Here are some more pictures of Fire breathing

at a

Halloween Night in Battlesbridge, near Chelmsford, Essex

at the launch party of the newly designed shop for Props and Frocks

the fancy dress hire company on Monday 31st October 2011.

Fire Breather with huge hot flame Halloween Night Launch party for Props n Frocks in Essex

Hi Richard

I just wanted to say how grateful we are to you. Everyone was blown away by the fantastic fire breathing you did last night for our launch party. We are so thankful for everything you did to make our launch a success, you really have got many talents! I personally gave your number to two Party Planners, and a Wedding Planner.

We are currently updating our website, and when it does go live, there will be a page dedicated to the companies like yours who have helped us in making the Props & Frocks re-launch a true success. The production company are expecting on average 2.5 million viewers when the show is broadcast in early 2012 giving your company the exposure it really deserves.

Thank you once again, we will definitely recommend you and use you again.

Kindest Regards

Rhys @ Customer care, Props and Frocks, Unit 1, Rectory Lane, Battlesbridge, Essex SS11 7QR

Telephone: 01245 327156
www.propsandfrocks.co.uk

THE place for quality fancy dress and customer service!

At this event I was also Town Crier at Basildon in Essex where I was pleased to meet Alex Polizzi who is the niece of Sir Rocco Forte and better known as the Hotel Inspector from the TV series on Channel 5

Essex Toastmaster, DJ, Fire Breather and master of Ceremonies with Alex Polizzi from the TV series The Hotel Inspector

Alex has been working with Props n Frocks as part of a new series to be screened early in 2012 and has been giving this well established and most excellent Party Dress Hire Company some even more useful ideas to help promote themselves.

They certainly get my vote as a great place to hire your costumes from for any type of occasion.

During the evening I was also the Master of Ceremonies and DJ and was pleased to share the occasion with some other most excellent artists, who I will be pleased to mention later.

Richard more usually works as a Toastmaster, Town Crier, Wedding DJ

and is a Sabrage Specialist for your wedding or party.

Sabrage is the art of opening a bottle of Champagne with a cavalry sword.

Sabrage the Champagne for Groom and Essex Wedding Toastmaster

Here is Lloyd (the groom) opening a bottle of Champagne at his wedding to Clare on Saturday 28th May 2011 at Regiment Way Golf Club, near Chelmsford Essex. The guests seem to love this act as it is something different and may be quite spectacular. You may just see the cork with the anulus of the Champagne bottle flying through the air if you look just to the right of Lloyd's left hand. This spectacular act is great for photos but please make sure that you do not stand too close or in front of the bottle.

After the wedding breakfast and before the evening party I was also their Fire Breather to keep the guests entertained.

Fire breathing display at an Essex Wedding by Toastmaster Richard Palmer

We also have sound and lighting equipment for hire and are quality suppliers

working to ISO 9001: 2008

Help the Heros - Spartan Races at Bassingbourn Barracks

( This is where I spent my 18th birthday with the 5th Royal Anglians ? years ago )

Fire breather Richard Palmer starting each of the 7 races with a huge bust of orange flame Spartan Races Cambridge (spartanrace.com) came to Basingbourn for a day-long competition beginning at 10am at the Army Training Regiment Bassingbourn Barracks, ROYSTON on September the 19th 2010. The competition was followed by post-race heroes bbq with activities and live music, feats of strength, Spartan Combat and much more.

Although the weather was rough, it was dryish but very windy. Not the best day for Essex based fire breather Richard Palmer to work his magic at the start of each race.

This festive event welcomed the public to come and support their favorite Spartans and enjoy the live entertainment. During the whole event the atmosphere was quite fantastic. Participants ran in all sorts of attire and although conditions could have been better, everyone seemed to enjoy the occasion.

An they're off. The start of another of the 7 races. Everyone was here to support the charity, Help for Heros and this event should grow, year on year. The Spartan Race Series was conceived by Cambridgeshire resident Richard Lee (former Royal Marine) and Joe Desena of Pittsfield, VT USA, who is known as the uber-sports guru and mastermind of the now-infamous 24 hour Death Race held annually in Vermont.

Race organisers were pleased to welcome around a thousand racers who were prepared to brave a short 5 km, obstacle-strewn course that included, among other things, spear throwing, mud crawls, climbing 8-foot walls, fire jumping and battling Spartan gladiators.

This new international Spartan Race Series held its UK premiere this summer. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Help for Heroes Foundation.

This was the race day that revived the spirit of an adventurous age, The Spartan Races. The age of Sparta was a rugged time and the organisers call what they do Rugged racing. Spartans were the epitome of what these races stand for, being resolute in the face of danger, ingenious in battle, and tenacious amidst adversity..

Fire breather Richard Palmer at the Spartan Races. So you don't want to move your car then. The races were open to anyone brave enough to compete, and those who could laugh their way through adversity. There were racers from ages seven to sixty five. The races had something for everyone!

The race series that began in May in Vermont continue on an international circuit with events planned on a regular basis, aroud the world. Racers may register online as a solo participant £25 or in teams of 4 at spartanrace.com

This was not an extreme sporting event that would scare people away. It was about getting out of your comfort zone, having fun, getting down in the mud, and simply doing something exciting!

All this to help a very worth while charity. Help for Heros Foundation

20th September 2010 I have just received a thank you e-mail from Selica which reads as follows, - Hello Richard, A million thanks for your efforts today! I am glad you left with all your hair. We are in the process of calculating the amount raised, it's looking terrific. Speak shortly Selica ( I did manage to lose most of my eye lashes and eye brows with some singing to the front of my hair, but after a good soak and wash, I no longer smell so bad and the hair will grow back. ) The fluid for burning stinks and the smell sometimes lasts for days. So why do I do it? It is spectacular and there is a buzz!!!

Richard Palmer firebreathing for the NSPCC charity event Now for something completely different -

Fire Breather for The NSPCC

At the English Toastmasters Association members meeting on Tuesday 21st October 2008, we discussed working for charities.

This is an odd ball in the way that I tackled it. I had a call from the NSPCC who needed help and fast. They wanted a fire breather to do a stunt at the Colchester United Football Club at 10.00am Friday 24th October.

Well, here is the photo of me in action. I'm the guy breathing fire at the back.

The two pictures on the left were taken by David, an excellent Essex Portrait Photographer at www.stourvalleyphotography.com Now where does this lead to.

If you feel that you may be able to help the NSPCC, please get in touch with Katie at kat pr consultancy

Just to prove that Katie is right about me in one of her comments, I have the picture of me in armour, although it was taken from my jousting days "a few years ago".

I have just had a lovely thank you letter from Katie at kat pr consultancy Which reads as follows;-

Richard is a knight in shining armour!

He stepped in at the last moment at what must have been a great inconvenience to himself - all in the aid of charity!

His help towards Colchester NSPCC has been amazing and he has a heart of gold.

His skills as a fire breather are just awe-inspiring and it creates something 'that little bit different' to any event - I can heartily recommend him and it will get and keep people talking about our event for much longer than they would do otherwise!

As a toastmaster he is perfection and his all round willingness to pitch in and help in any way possible is just more than you could ever wish for! Thank you from the NSPCC and Thank You from the Colchester Business Group and Thank You from me! Katie Skingle Chairwoman for the Colchester NSPCC Business Group

THE FIREBREATHER

The Fire Breather

Richard is an experienced performer and has been involved with jousting, stunt motorcycling (including the tunnel of fire and the wall of fire) and various staged in and out door acts, including the human canon ball, at the Essex Show.

Richard was the president of the East Anglian Jousting Federation for several years, back in the 80’s and mainly performed around Essex. One of the largest shows that his troupe attended was the International Hot Air Balloon Festival in Bristol, with a troupe of 27 performers and 5 horses.
Richard has run many types of events for over 35 years, including the Blake Hall Steam Rally, back in 1988.

Richard has worked with health and safety consultants at large public events, including the Essex Show, for many years, and in 2000 was the assistant director of the Essex Show.

The best advice is, do not under any circumstances attempt this or any fire act without proper supervision.

Richard first took an interest in fire breathing, back in 1971 in Holland. He was fascinated by the spectacle of this art. In 2003 he met a fire eater/breather at a business breakfast in Essex and was taught the safest ways to develop and gain the confidence to perform this act.
Richard carries fire extinguishers and fire blankets when working, and experienced trained staff to help in an emergency.

Fire Breathing is the most dangerous of all the fire acts! There is a very real danger of a blow-back, where the flame simply runs back along the stream of vapour and burns the performer or sets fire to their clothing or hair.

Some performers do not wear clothes on the upper body when fire breathing because a shirt that is soaked in fuel burns very well. Richard sometimes uses this as a feature of his act, but warns his assistants or photographers that this is a controlled part of the act.

It is essential to have a fire blanket within reach so that the fire may be smothered or the performer wrapped in it, if there was an emergency.

Some of the pictures on this site were taken at an event in Cambridge, where Richard was the Toastmaster and Master of Ceremonies for the evening as well as being the DJ. The event was staged by the Cambridge University Jewish Society, in the Guildhall, Cambridge on 12th February 2004.

The photographs also show Richard as the Toastmaster and Master of ceremonies, with pyrotechnics on the stage and a superb disco, set up by the Classic Nomad Disco and Light Show experience. Details of this act may be found at www.thedisco.co.uk.

Richard then performed the fire breathing act, which was staged to give the best visual effects to the whole seated audience, by making the most of the main floor in the Guildhall.

The finale for this act was to stand back from the stage, facing the disco set up, and blow a huge flame across the top of the disco rig, with the illusion of lighting, all the top hanging flames on the rig. Immediately following this, another huge flame was blown across the bottom of the disco rig, again with the illusion of lighting all the bottom flames. Richard then moved to the side of the stage, leaving eleven burning flames as a backdrop for the next act.

There are several pictures of this event including the disco, which was set up in four and a half hours, by Richard and his team.

Please refer to these other sites for more information
www.thedisco.co.uk and www.thetoastmaster.co.uk

For an excellent wedding toastmaster go to The English Toastmasters Association

Richard Palmer may be contacted
by e-mail stageshows@thedisco.co.uk
by telephone 07971 409977 or 01245 222392

Full details may be found at the other web sites.

Testimonial

From the Co-President
"Disorientate"- CUJS Ball 2004

17th February 2004

Dear Richard & team,

I would just like to drop you a few lines to thank you so much for your amazing effort and hard work at the Cambridge University Society dinner on 12th February 2004.

My committee and I were astounded at the efforts you went to in order to ensure that the evening was not only a success but one that will remain in the history books for years to come. Your efforts to strive for perfection were far beyond the call of duty and I was personally amazed how you took it upon yourself to surprise me by decorating the entire DJ equipment to fit the theme of the evening.

I have been inundated with phone calls and letters over the past few days commenting on the music, style and professionalism of your team and I would have no hesitation about recommending you to anyone that asked. The bottom line is that I have never met a more professional, friendly and extravagant DJ company before.

I look forward to seeing you at our next event.

Co-President
"Disorientate"- CUJS Ball 2004

Richard Palmer is also a toastmaster Master of Ceremonies and DJ and if you are looking for a mobile disco in Essex, or you would like further information about these services please visit his website. Richard is a founder member of The English Toastmasters Association, so if you are looking for a wedding toastmaster or a toastmaster for any type of function please visit the association website.

Last updated 18.40hrs Wednesday 2nd November 2011

THE FIREBREATHER

Acknowledgements
These photographs were taken by

David Islip LBIPP
27, Brain Road,
Witham,
Essex CM8 1LB
tel 01376 517955
mobile 07779 907306