A fabulous array of raffle prizes* enabled the Guild to raise an impressive £3724 at its annual awards dinner towards the the East Africa appeal launched by Railway Children. The amount the charity received is doubled by the Government’s under its current Match Aid scheme.
The appeal aims to raise £300,000, to reach at least 2,760 children living on the streets of Mwanza in Tanzania, and Kitale in Kenya so that they can access education, reconnect with families and lift themselves from the streets and out of abject poverty. The project will also develop community and government support structures in these cities to improve the situation for future generations of children who
run to the streets.
A giant facsimile of the cheque was presented to Christian Wolmar, eminent transport journalist and founding trustee of Railway Children, during the event at London’s Savoy Hotel. He said: “I am a supporter of Railway Children because they target a particularly vulnerable group of young people, and are able to make a big difference in their lives. As a relatively small but growing organisation, the charity is flexible enough to address new issues as they arise, and to find solutions for new problems.”
Pete Kent, East Africa Regional Director said “Railway Children are delighted with the amount raised at the British Guild of Travel Writers awards. Their support will enable us to help rescue more children from the risk of violence and abuse on the streets. We can give practical, financial, and emotional support to more families than ever before, so that their children never have to run away again. We would like to thank the Guild for choosing us as their nominated charity.”
Donations can be made here
Prizes and donors:
- Many thanks to Helpful Holidays for donating a 3 night stay at the Tudor manor house of Cadhay, Ottery St Mary, East Devon, accommodating up to 22 people.
- Champagne-Ardennes Tourism – a 3 night break in Troyes with return Eurostar train and transfers at the Maison de Rhodes 5* hotel including breakfasts and dinners and Champagne and wine. private tour and Champagne tasting workshop and 1-day car hire.
- bmi regional – two pairs of return flights to anywhere on its network.
- Three Little Birds PR an Middlewich Narrowboats – Three day narrowboat hire on the Llangollen Canal for 4 people.
- AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators) – £2,000 voucher used to book any of the great holidays from its 125 members.
- Great Rail Journeys and Visit Flanders/Belgian Tourist Office – train travel to Lille and return taxi transfers to Poperinge, Flanders, Belgium and 2 nights’ bed and breakfast in Talbot House with a meal for two in De Fonderie Brasserie in Ypres for 2 people.
- Brittany Ferries – A cruise to and from Spain on Brittany Ferries’ award-winning luxury cruise-ferry for 2 people with their car including a 2-berth cabin with en-suite facilities.
- Railbookers and Belgian Tourist Office (Brussels and Wallonia) – return train tickets to Brussels for 2 people, a 2-night stay in the train compartment suite on the roof of the Train Hostel in Schaerbeek, dinner for 2 and 2 tickets to Brussels’ latest attraction, Train World.
- Sunvil Holidays – a week for 2 in Greece – at Tolon in the Pelopponese – with 2 days, including the opening ceremony, at the modern version of the ancient Nemean Games. Flights, transfers and a studio apartment on the beach all included.
- the Anguilla Tourist Board – 5 nights bed and breakfast for two at CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa in Anguilla in the Caribbean plus car hire, one dinner at a resort restaurant and lunch and dinner at a top Anguilla restaurant.
- Pas-de-Calais Tourism, P&O Ferries and Najeti Hotels
– Self-drive 4-night trip to Pas-de-Calais, North France with P&O Ferries club lounge crossing, vintage 2CV hire, dinner, bed and breakfast and a tailor-made itinerary and programme to suit the winner. - And our Armenian sponsors , who donated a trip for 2 to their country with return flights, accommodation at top hotels on a bed and breakfast basis, dinner at Dolmama restaurant in Yerevan with the restaurateur, Jirair Avanian and a private tour of the Zorah vineyard with the owner, Zorik Gharibian.
