In years past we used to hold a prize draw at the end of the evening drawing a business card from a bucket to award the lucky winners with a gift from each attending member, however four years ago we decided that we wanted to give back to this amazing industry of ours, we decided that annually we would chose a charity that was close to our hearts and sell tickets at £1 per ticket at each Bright evening to win one of the prizes to raise money for our chosen charity.
4 years ago Bright decided that we would give back to the amazing travel industry by using our popular raffle to raise money for a charity close to our hearts. We annually choose a charity we feel truly helps our colleagues within the travel industry and use our 14 events to raise much needed funds for it.
2016 saw Bright raise an amazing £3,700 for our chosen charity, by doubling the amount we received in donations, which really helped make a difference to the charity. This year we are expecting to raise even more for our 2017 charity, with Bright taking part in the whacky race that is the Travel Trade Crusade, travelling across Europe in a challenge to raise funds for Bright’s 2017’s charity.
This year Bright is pleased to announce that we have chosen the wonderful charity that is ABTA LifeLine. ABTA LifeLine was set up to help people in the travel industry when they need it the most.
Their vision is that everyone in the ABTA family has somewhere to turn in times of personal crisis.
They want to make sure you know what sort of help is there for you and how you can access it.
No one ever quite knows what’s around the next corner, and sometimes we all need a helping hand. But one thing is certain; whatever life throws at you, ABTA LifeLine is there to provide support for you and your family. They award grants to help with the big things to the little things. From financial support and disability funding, to property repairs and back to work initiatives, their ‘lifeline’ reaches far and wide.
An example of how ABTA LifeLine helps is Zach’s Story.
In 2014, Tracy, a former travel agent, contacted ABTA LifeLine asking for help for her three year old son Zach.
Zach has an inoperable benign brain tumour, multiple genetic disorders and is fed through a peg in his stomach. As well as being diagnosed with autism, Zach has lost all of his skills and language.
Zach’s mother wrote to ABTA LifeLine, asking for help with building Zach a sensory room – a calm environment which would aid Zach’s development.
ABTA LifeLine took Zach’s appeal to The Travel Convention where it hoped to raise £10,000 to build this sensory room for Zach.
The travel industry really got behind the appeal and enough money was raised to build this fantastic room.
Not only will it dramatically improve Zach’s quality of life but it has given Mum Tricy a lifeline too. She told LifeLine “when I spend time with him in a sensory room he can look at my face because of the lights, something he can’t do normally”.
To learn more about Bright’s incredible 2017 charity, please view our website –
www.abtalifeline.org.uk