Travel Counsellors’ Financial Welfare Fund has helped more than 200 people in the company since it was launched in April 2020.
A support package for the homeworking group’s small business owners was created to help those in financial stress due to the impact of Covid. It was an extension of Travel Counsellors’ existing benevolent fund,
Travel Counsellors chief executive Steve Byrne said the fund would remain in place for “as long as needed”.
He told a Travel Weekly webcast: “Our Financial Welfare Fund has helped over 200 people – directly with money or in some cases, by providing IT equipment for their children into their own homes.
“We’ve also put mental health services in place. We had that before, but we’ve extended it and lots of people have drawn on that.
“Lots of people have also drawn on support from each other. It’s been a huge test of emotional resilience and there’s nothing wrong with, for a period of time, needing support.
“We’ve just encouraged people to shout if they need that help. The things we put in place are continuing. They will be there for as long as they’re needed, which may be forever.
But, he stressed: “At a macro level, the trend now is one of recovery. The debate is not one ‘will it recover?’ but ‘how quickly will it recover?’
“The general sentiment I’m trying to get across is one of one of assurance and hope. The industry now should be hopeful and positive about that recovery.”