More than £27,000 has been raised by the Give Them A Break campaign to provide holidays for low-income key workers who have been in the frontline during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Give Them A Break (GTAB) was launched by travel industry professionals last summer and the campaign has now been formally handed over to the Family Holiday Association.
The FHA can now provide UK breaks for more than 50 low-income key workers and their families.
The association said: “This has never been more important than over the past year when so many care assistants, delivery drivers and other key workers have been working flat out to keep the country running but often don’t earn enough to take any kind of holiday.”
FHA research shows just how much difference even a short a break can make to families in need – 83% of families who are affected by mental health issues see an improvement; 62% of families do more together than before they went on the break; and school attendance has improved for 85% of families where this was an issue.
Kat Lee, FHA chief executive, said: “We are delighted to be able to support key workers through the generous fundraising efforts of the volunteers behind the Give Them A Break campaign.
“As the travel industry recovers, we look forward to working with them to help those who have given so much, get a little bit back.”
Rachel McCaffery, who runs sustainable tourism consultancy GreenCase Consulting, founded GTAB.
She said: “The Give Them A Break volunteers and I feel privileged to have been able to support the FHA and provide holidays to families of key workers who made so many sacrifices last year.
“We are thankful to the travel brands who supported us, especially given the massive impact of the pandemic on the industry.
“The campaign achieved a lot in terms of galvanising the industry and raising awareness of the need for help.”
As well as individual donations, there were discount offers from well-known brands such as Intrepid Travel, Tui, Travel Republic and Teletext Holidays.
The FHA is keen to continue the GTAB campaign and donations can be made to the appeal here.
The FHA will start its holiday season on May 28 – which is also the 46th anniversary of the charity’s founding.
More: Family Holiday Association to resume breaks in May
Agents urged to fundraise for key worker ‘Give Them A Break’ campaign
Non-profit initiative aims to provide key workers with discounted holidays