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chariot_skyscraper
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NEWS
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Latest news
2 May 2008
BBC Radio Manchester talks to Joe Hipgrave of the Family Holiday
Association
BBC Radio
Manchester's Becky Want talked to FHA Fundraising Manager, Joe
Hipgrave, on Friday afternoon (Friday 2 May) about families missing out
on the benefits of even a short break away from home.
Click here to listen
One in three families will miss out on a break in 2008
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MPs celebrate the life of Patrick Laurance
House of Commons Early Day
Motion
Gordon Marsden, MP for Blackpool South, put down the following EDM
which has been signed so far by forty three MPs from all sides of the
Commons.
MR
PATRICK LAURANCE AND THE FAMILY HOLIDAY ASSOCIATION
That this House acknowledges with gratitude the life and work of
Patrick Laurance, co-founder with his wife Joan, of the Family Holiday
Association,
which
from humble beginnings in 1975 has grown to provide today over 1,600
disadvantaged families with short breaks to
 seaside
towns in Britain every year; acknowledges also Patrick Laurance's
tireless and selfless work as a volunteer for Dignity in Dying and
other voluntary organisations; pays tribute to all those who support
and assist the Family Holiday Association
and its Director, John McDonald, as it advocates
further extension of support for disadvantaged families to take
holidays; and urges Government and other interested parties to
examine favourably such ideas as a lasting tribute to Patrick
Laurance's memory.
Click here to access the EDM on Parliament's web site.
Patrick Laurance, 88, died on 11 January following a minor hospital procedure in
London.
Patrick and his wife, Joan,
established the Family Holiday Association in 1975 and have worked
ever since to help disadvantaged families access the benefits of a
holiday away from home. Patrick celebrated his 88th birthday
in December. Over 250 mourners attended Patrick's funeral on
Tuesday 22 January at the Golders Green Crematorium.
In Memoriam
If you would like to give a donation
in Patrick's name please use this special page we have set up on
JustGiving which also allows messages of condolence to be left.
Click through to the special JustGiving In Memoriam page here.
Watch a brief audio-visual
tribute to Patrick -
click here
Read Patrick's obituary in
The Times -
click here
Read The Guardian's online obituary -
click here
Other related news
Haven Holidays
Haven Holidays has donated 88
family holidays to the Family Holiday Association in remembrance
of Patrick Laurance and his remarkable life.
Naomi Woodstock, Haven’s PR Manager, said: “We have always been
proud of our association with the FHA and were very sad to hear of
Pat’s death.
“In remembrance of him and recognition of his outstanding
achievements and remarkable career, we would like to extend our
partnership with the FHA by offering an additional 88 free
holidays this year – one for each year of Pat’s life. We
hope that 88 families will be able to enjoy a special treat on one
of our holiday as a testament to all that Pat achieved during his
lifetime."
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Latest News - 17 December 2007
Charity features
in a House of Commons
three
way exchange!
 Gordon Marsden, MP
for Blackpool South, featured
the work of the Family Holiday
Association in a question to the Government Minister Ed Balls
during a recent House of Commons session. Conservative MP
Tony Baldry also provided a strong endorsement of the work of the
FHA when he felt the Minister had failed to answer the Labour MP's
point!
Click here to read the interesting bi-partisan exchange.
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Download our latest
newsletter
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Our latest
newsletter
Our November newsletter features a story about one
family's October half term break in Skegness.
Listen here to the family's stories.
Listen
to Maria
and listen to Maria's
little boy
.
 This family's
holiday is featured on the Guardian's website with
an audio slide show.
Click here to visit the Guardian
Also
featured are in the newsletter are MP Gordon Marsden
talking at our
recent Forum
and Libby
Purves
making our
Radio 4 Appeal in the summer. |
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Latest news December 2007
Family Holiday Association
raises over £10,000 at The Travel Convention in Tenerife
The Family Holiday
Association is celebrating after fundraising at The
Travel Convention in Tenerife topped £10,000 for the first time,
which will help to give around 20 underprivileged young families a
week’s break in a caravan by the sea.
 Arnold
Fisher Insurance Services Ltd. sponsored trolley-coin key
rings which were sold to delegates, raising £3,500.
Argyle
Recruitment organised a fun run which raised £4,000,
sponsored by Olympic
Holidays and Citybond Suretravel.
Hotels4U
and Silverjet donated
a prize for an auction at an e-tid lunch, where a collection was
undertaken, for a total of £3,100 donated.
“This is a fantastic
result for us,” said FHA director John McDonald.
“Enormous thanks must go
to ABTA and to all of our
sponsors, because their support has meant that around 50
disadvantaged children will be able to get through this winter
knowing that they have a holiday to look forward to in the
summer.”
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Wednesday 17th October 2007
Travel high-fliers run for the
Family Holiday
Association in the Malta Half Marathon
The Family Holiday Association has enlisted the support of a
number of travel industry high-fliers, including Carol Dray,
currently managing director of www.flight.co.uk and Mandy
Nickerson, managing director of Bales Worldwide, to run in the
Malta Marathon/Half
Marathon on the 24th of February 2008 in support of the charity
that provides short UK breaks for seriously needy families.
The team’s aim is to raise enough to give a holiday to 30
underprivileged families on the Family Holiday Association’s
waiting list.
Carol, who ran for the FHA in the 2001 Malta Half Marathon, said
she was really enthusiastic about signing up.
“The last time I ran in the Malta Half Marathon we had great fun
as a team, and the location was beautiful.
“The Family Holiday Association is a charity close to my heart –
working in the travel industry has shown me that the benefits of
holidays last much longer than the holiday itself.”
She added that this time her participation was to be a family
affair since both her son Rudi (advertising manager at WAYN.com)
and her daughter Jodie (the fastest lady in 2001) will also be
taking part.
Mandy Nickerson, who also ran for the FHA in 2001 and has
recruited a team of four from Bales, said, “Bales Worldwide have
long supported the FHA in a variety of ways, so I’m delighted that
they’ll be part of the FHA team again in next year’s run.
“This year I’m planning to run whole way, and I have begun
training already, unlike last time when I attempted it with only a
month’s worth of preparation under my belt!”
John McDonald, the Director of the Family Holiday Association
said: “Both Carol and Mandy have been valued supporters of the FHA
for many years, so we’re delighted that they are leading the way
in Malta next year.
“I hope that others in the travel industry will join them to help
us reach our
fundraising target and give some severely disadvantaged children
and their families something special to look forward to next
year.”
Thanks to Malta Tourism
Authority sponsorship, runners can join the team in Malta for
£199, inclusive of flights, race entry and 4* half-board hotel
accommodation.
For more information, visit
www.fhaonline.org.uk/malta, or contact Jacqulyn on 020 7323
7292.
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Latest news Wednesday 4 July 2007
 Libby
Purves appeals on Radio 4 on behalf of the Family Holiday
Association and raises almost £20,000
Listen to Libby
-
click here
Well-known broadcaster,
Libby Purves, spoke movingly on a recent
BBC Radio 4
Appeal about the work of the Family
Holiday Association with disadvantaged families. Libby has been associated with the charity for nearly
30 years.
Charity founders Pat and
Joan Laurance - now both 86 and still fundraising - first enlisted her help in the late 1970s at a
fundraising event at the Trocadero in central London and Libby has
been a supporter ever since.
Libby asked Radio 4
listeners to "Help me to help a family get a break this summer!"
and listeners responded generously and have, so far, raised
almost £18,000! You can still donate - use the link below.
You can contribute to Libby's appeal today -
click here to donate |
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If you missed the appeal or would like to hear it again please
click the "Listen" graphic
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If you would like a copy
of the text of Libby's appeal
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click here |
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Do you have any comments to make
about the appeal? Let us know - just click on the link.
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e-mail now |
It may be just another beach to you,
but to your child it’s a jewel, an
amulet . . .
Read a recent Libby Purves article from The Times
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More... |
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Latest news 5 June 2007
Social
tourism consortium
launched at joint UNISON and FHA forum
"We believe too many
people are excluded from the benefits provided by even a simple break
away from home. Together we will work to promote social tourism
for the improved well-being and happiness of society"
A wide range of organisations including travel companies signed the
above declaration supporting the promotion of social tourism in the
UK. The forum heard from Gordon Marsden, MP for Blackpool, a
senior UNISON official and representatives of travel companies Butlins
and Haven.
FHA Director, John McDonald, said "There was general agreement that
the issue of social tourism had to be pushed up the political agenda
and that to do so it would be better if we worked together."
It was agreed that a working party
of interested organisations would meet to consider how best a
consortium would work and to report back at a meeting to be scheduled
in the next few months.
If you would like to be kept up to
date about the work of the consortium - please let us know -
click here.
Listen to what people had to say at the forum
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Latest news 24 April 2007
Partnership is focus of FHA annual reception
Linda
Stubbs (Family Fund), Tim Diggle (YHA) and Clare Caunt (RNLI)
being thanked by John McDonald, FHA Director
The Family
Holiday Association's annual reception held at the ABTA head
office in central London on Tuesday 24 April focused on the
charity's developing partnerships with a range of organisations.
"For a
relatively small organisation, the FHA has been successfully
co-operating with a wide range of organisations; some, like the
RNLI, the YHA and the Family Fund, are very large and significant
charities", reported FHA Director John McDonald. "The
rational for this joint working is to increase our ability to help
families both through improved programmes and increased income
generation", he continued.
Listen to people who attended the reception
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Latest news 23 April 2007
Marathon team hit £45k record income
 A
team of thirty one runners pounded the streets of London on Sunday
to raise £45,000 for the work of the charity!
This fantastic amount will help
over 60 families - about 130 children and parents have a summer to
remember.
The runners met following
the race at a restaurant in St Martins Lane and were able to share
stories enjoy an energy boosting meal of pasta and to have their photograph
taken!
The Family Holiday Association
would like to thank the Malta Tourist Association for sponsoring the
2007 FHA Team and for meeting the costs of the reception food and
drinks. The First Choice team of 19 runners also require special
mention for their joint efforts in raising an incredible £24,000 of
the total raised.
View the galleries below to
view photos taken on the day.
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At the Marathon start |
Post race-reception |
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Latest News 27
March 2007
FHA Annual Pub Quiz a
success
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The Corner
House in Soho on Tuesday evening was a very cerebral
venue with over 100 representatives of the travel
industry trying to answer some difficult questions and
win the coveted FHA Annual Pub Quiz trophy.
View the fantastic photos taken by
Steve Dunlop on the evening! |
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Latest News - 6 March 2007
FHA Theatre Event -
Triumphant Evita!
The Family Holiday
Association hosted a very successful fundraising event on
the 28th of February, kindly sponsored by the
Malta Tourism Authority
and supported by the
Really Useful Theatre Company Ltd..
150 guests watched a
fantastic performance
of
Evita, starring the "stunning" Elena Roger (pictured left
with Chris Fenech, Director UK and Ireland - Malta Tourism
Authority, far left and John McDonald FHA Director on the
right).
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Following the performance, guests enjoyed an exclusive
champagne reception attended by the stars.
All in all, over
£13,000 was raised, which means even more deserving children
and their families will enjoy holidays this summer.
View all the
photos of the event by clicking on the flickr box to the
right.
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Keep up to date with our fundraising events!
You can select to receive our occasional
travel industry fundraising events update mailings or
additionally one of our other occasional
e-mail newsletters including
*General Interest
*Programme and grant updates *Educational support updates.
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Latest
news - 25 July2006
 In
a very moving article in The Times on the 25 July 2006, Libby Purves
wrote about the importance of family holidays to her and her family
and the stock of happy memories they provide; memories that can sustain
you at times of upset and grief.
Libby argues strongly that taking a
holiday with the family is a priority and she went on to say that
if you had any money left after paying for your break then you should
send it to the Family Holiday Association and help another family
benefit too.
Click here
to read Libby Purves's column in The Times on Tuesday 25 July
2006.
and then
click here!
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Latest news - 6 March 2006
Commons dinner sees
holidays on the menu for discussion
"Let me see if
I can talk to Gordon Brown about this", was a comment one Labour MP
made on the evening of Monday 6 March at the Family Holiday Association
dinner in the House of Commons.
Professor Richard Layard addressed a gathering that included six MPs
and well-known commentator Cristina Odone on the subject of happiness.
The Professor
linked the importance of access to holidays to what he considered
the three key elements that produce happiness: - self-respect, a strong
family and personal competence.
He considered
it important people have sufficient funds to be able to afford even
a simple holiday; he felt that a holiday can have a real impact on
the well-being of the family unit ; and that being able to organise
and go on holiday gives people a real feeling of achievement.
The discussion
that followed had MPs from both main political parties making contributions.
John McDonald, Director of the FHA, said "We were delighted with
this our first major attempt to influence politicians about the importance
of holidays. We were able to share with them the results of
a survey of nearly 300 welfare agents which showed just how important
holidays are considered by people whose job it is to help disadvantaged
families.
The survey also
provided respondents the opportunity to pass on a message to
the politicians attending the dinner - we received over 160 powerful
messages! We passed them on!" He also warmly thanked
First Great Western for their financial support for the event.
 “Holidays
are a vital event in personal well-being. It is tragic that
so many people still have no holidays away from home.”
Professor Richard Layard, author of
Happiness: Lessons of a New Science.
Survey results
and comments
Results of the survey can be viewed on line by clicking
here and a pdf of the comments can be downloaded by clicking
here.
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Latest news - 27
January 2006
 Woman's
Hour features family holidays - listen to Kim Keeling's interview
now!
Just
click here to listen to an interview with Kim Keeling a mum whose
family is due to go on a FHA funded holiday this summer and to
hear Jenni
Murray (above) lead the discussion that followed
click here through to the BBC
website.
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Latest News - 27 December 2005
"Bread
and holidays for all"
Click here to read Libby Purves's
column in The Times on Tuesday 27 December 2005.
Libby's article is based on a
new briefing paper produced by the Policy Research Bureau.
Click on the title if you would like a copy of the PRB
briefing paper
or
full report.
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Latest news - 8 February
2005
Putting social
tourism* on the UK policy agenda
Following the first
successful Policy
and Programme forum last year, a second
forum was held in London on Tuesday 8 February.
With speakers from the French organisation, ANCV, that manages
the highly successful cheque-vacances scheme; the Flanders
Tourist Office; and the
Policy Research Bureau, the forum looked at how
the concept of social tourism is poorly understood in the UK and how that
might be rectified.
A fuller report of the
forum will be posted shortly but if you would like to see
the presentations from the Flanders Tourist Office, ANCV
from France, and the Policy Research Bureau please click on the
links below to download the relevant pdf.
 Flanders Tourist Office presentation.
ANCV's presentation.
Policy Research Bureau.
Read the report of the forum from
The Guardian.
* Social Tourism - "the
inclusion of people living on a low income in holiday and
leisure activities".
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