Homeworker Toni Linney’s job really is a labour of love.
The 27-year-old, who runs franchise Not Just Travel Northwest in Liverpool with partner Ben Rood, made two bookings worth just shy of £9,000 from her hospital bed – as she went into labour with her first child.
She said: “My waters hadn’t broken but I was having contractions every five minutes. “The work was a distraction from the pain. I don’t suppose many people would do it but I would not have coped in bed all day doing nothing.”
Toni worked on two enquiries she received on the morning she went into Liverpool Women’s Hospital on February 7.
“My laptop goes everywhere with me. We try to respond as quickly as possible and like to get quotes out in half an hour,” she said.
Toni rang hotels to ask for prices and contacted tour operator Travelpack from her bed for holiday quotes for a couple and a family of four to go to Dubai.
Travelpack business development manager Heena Bhudia said: “Our travel consultant Delwyn Hughes knew he’d have to move quickly to get these bookings done when there was such time pressure and he was pleased to be able to do it.”
Both bookings were completed and paid for by the following afternoon – just hours ahead of the birth of Florence Evelyn Rood at 11.23pm, weighing 7lb 11oz, after more than 30 hours’ labour.
Within days, Toni was back to work. She said: “I can still look after Florence and I’m not missing out on time with her as I’m at home.”