Family Holiday Association

The Family Holiday Association is a United Kingdom charity, registered charity number 800262. It is the only national charity dedicated to providing seaside breaks and day trips for families struggling with some of the toughest challenges life can bring. The charity provides breaks for UK families struggling with problems such as severe and long-term illness, bereavement, mental health issues, disability and domestic violence.

All the families helped by the charity are referred by someone already working with them in a supporting role and families cannot apply for a break directly. By working with referrers, the Family Holiday Association ensures that the funds raised help the families who will benefit most. The referral network includes teachers, health visitors, social workers and other charities such as Barnardo’s and Shelter.

The Family Holiday Association receives no government funding, and is wholly reliant on the generosity of donors, fundraisers and other supporters.

The charity is chaired by travel journalist and broadcaster Alison Rice, and the charity President is Peter Long, who is Chairman of the Royal Mail and ex Joint Chief Executive of travel company TUI Group.

The Family Holiday Association became a registered national charity in 1975. The charity was started by North London couple Joan and Patrick Laurance, who had experienced first-hand what a difference a break away from home can make. Peter Binns, a school friend of Patrick, lived in Westcliff-on-Sea. He and his wife were planning a trip away and thought that their good friends the Laurances would benefit from a trip to the seaside, particularly as they were going through a difficult time. Joan and Patrick were at this point living in a single room with their daughter, Pamela, who was in poor health. Their second daughter had been born handicapped and, tragically, had died aged just three months. To make matters worse, Patrick had been made redundant. The family desperately needed a break but couldn’t afford to go away.

After returning home, the couple felt refreshed. Happy memories of their family break gave them new hope and the resolve to move forward. This got them to thinking, “Could we help others by providing holidays for families in similar situations?” By the early 1970s, Patrick had become a councillor and was given an allowance for his duties. One of his first ideas was to ask fellow councillors to donate their expenses (as he had) to facilitate the launch of a new charity. According to Joan, “Pat could talk a cat into having puppies,” so it came as no surprise when most agreed.

...
Wikipedia