Barrhead Travel staff hailed for wide-ranging charity work this Christmas

Barrhead Travel staff have been praised for their wide ranging fundraising efforts this Christmas.

Managing director Nicki Tempest-Mitchell hailed employees for coming together and pursuing individual challenges to support projects local to their branches or close to their hearts.

At the agency group’s recent Christmas meeting in Glasgow, staff brought in toys to support Spirit Aid, a humanitarian charity founded by actor David Hayman (pictured centre, with staff from Barrhead’s Silverburn store). The gifts will go to children who might otherwise go without this Christmas.

Barrhead Travel employees in Liverpool and Burnley have been backing the Come Together Christmas Appeal for local families who would struggle to celebrate the festive season without donations.

The appeal works with children’s centres to identify the most in need families and provides them with gifts, electricity tokens and food vouchers to help children and their parents enjoy Christmas.

Other Barrhead staff based in Doncaster are supporting the Mayflower Animal Sanctuary, by collecting dog and cat food, cleaning products, and bedding to help care for vulnerable animals in the local community.

Meanwhile, individuals have also taken on specific personal challenges for charity.

Jonathon Munro, from Barrhead Travel’s long-haul team, is running 5km every day for 31 days during December to raise awareness of men’s mental health. He is fundraising for Mind the Men, a peer-support group dedicated to helping men who are struggling, particularly over Christmas.

He said: "I’m now [December 22] 22 days in, 112km ran, feeling good and just focused on managing each run as it comes."

Claire Boyle, Barrhead Travel business development manager, held a fundraising event which collected £12,000 earlier this year for Breast Cancer Now and £1,000 for East Kilbride Hospice, at the same time as facing stage four cancer.

Tempest-Mitchell said: “Claire’s courage and generosity are truly inspirational. Across our teams, we are very proud to support these heart warming, local initiatives.

“From helping children and families in need, to caring for animals, to celebrating Claire’s remarkable fundraising, this is a powerful example of our Barrhead Travel family coming together to make a real difference - and to spread some sparkle this Christmas.”