Travel has the power to restore hope to families facing hardship

Growing up, most of my early ‘holidays’ weren’t really holidays at all. My dad ran a sight-loss charity, so time away usually meant joining the groups he was supporting.

I can still picture myself, aged eight, sitting by a pool in Ibiza being taught sign language by two deaf-blind travellers. Those moments planted something deep in me: that time away from home – even in challenging circumstances – creates connection and memories that stay with you.

It’s no surprise, then, that I’ve spent my life working for charities that help families access exactly that. I’ve led breaks for families adjusting to a child’s deafness, supported young people navigating homelessness to enjoy time away, and witnessed moments of connection for families living with end-of-life care.

Across all those experiences, the same truth has been constant: a holiday can transform how a family feels about the world – and about themselves – even in their toughest moments.

That’s why I’m so proud to have joined the Family Holiday Charity, an organisation dedicated to giving families who’ve never had a holiday, or who’ve gone years without one, the chance to enjoy time away.

Profound benefits

Every day we hear from families facing a mix of bereavement, caring responsibilities, financial hardship, disability, mental health pressures or simply years of stress.

By the time they reach us, these overlapping challenges have often made the idea of a holiday feel out of reach. In 2025, 40% of the families we supported had never been on holiday, while 60% hadn’t been away in four years or more. Even with our current capacity, we received referrals for more than 500 additional holidays we couldn’t fund.

The benefits of time away are profound. Our latest impact data shows:

• 95% of families report improved relationships
• 93% say children’s mental health improves
• 90% of parents experience better mental health
• 100% want to take more trips together

Now, we’ve set an ambitious new vision: every family should have the chance of a holiday. 

To make that real, our new three-year strategy focuses on two major goals:

• Supporting more families, scaling up to 5,000 families a year by 2028
• Championing why holidays matter to ensure time away is recognised nationally as essential to wellbeing, child development and family resilience

Momentum is already building. This January alone, we saw a threefold increase in bookings, driven significantly by our partnerships with a range of organisations showing what’s possible when the travel industry leans in. From gifting the use of an entire hotel to attraction tickets, the difference is immediate and life-changing.

The travel sector holds the keys to the very things families can’t access alone, namely accommodation, transport, tickets and attractions, logistics and expertise, national reach and, crucially, influence.

Donations call 

Our ask of the industry is simple: please join us. Join us in a way that fits your business, your values and your strengths. That might mean:

• Donating accommodation, transport or attraction tickets

• Adding your voice, expertise and influence to strengthen our campaigns 

• Funding innovations that help us reach further

Whatever form it takes, it matters – because together we can build a movement that ensures thousands more families have moments that strengthen relationships and restore hope.

I mentioned being taught sign language by the pool in Ibiza. Those early moments taught me that connection can happen anywhere – and that time away has a power that lasts. I’ve seen that power again and again, and I see it every time a family tells us that, for one week, they felt like themselves again.