Latin Routes has thanked industry partners who helped the operator raise £3,320 in gifts and monetary donations to bring festive cheer to travel industry families.
The Latin America specialist launched the appeal at the end of October to help families hit hard by redundancies or reduced hours in travel to buy Christmas presents for their children.
Jess Dennison, director, said: “We turned the office into Santa’s grotto and, to the sound of Christmas tunes, we wrapped and sent over 400 gifts with the help of our staff, local travel agents and volunteers.
“We sent gifts to all 126 children from 94 families who had been nominated to receive a gift from us.
“We sent arts and crafts, board games, electronics, music CDs, books, lots of Lego, gift vouchers for the older children, and hundreds of toys.
“We also sent every child some Christmas chocolate, and children under seven received a beautiful Christmas book kindly donated by 3For Marketing.
“There is also a small fund left over with which we intend to continue the support for our industry friends and colleagues in the New Year.”
She added: “We are extremely grateful to everyone who donated or nominated and got behind us on this idea.
“It shows what our industry is all about – great people.
“This has really proved what kind and supportive people there are in the travel industry and, while we came up with the idea, it would not have been successful or possible without every single person who nominated or donated a gift or money to the appeal, so thank you.
“Being kind and doing something small for someone else really does go a long way and we have received a number of messages from the parents of the nominated children expressing their gratitude at receiving a gift for their child, and this makes it all worthwhile.”
One message said: “I have just had a lovely and totally unexpected delivery through the post from you extremely kind people at Latin Routes! What can I say other than thank you very, very much from the bottom of my heart, you have made my Christmas!”
Another message read: “I just wanted a say a big thank you for the Christmas gifts I have received for my two children today. It made me cry. It has been a tough year for us all, but that was such a lovely kind thought. Thank you with all my heart.”