Member Article

Travel team walk marathon to help children’s charity build ‘magical kids village’

A six-strong team from a Leeds-based travel company is aiming to walk the distance of a marathon this Sunday, to raise vital funds for a children’s terminal illness respite charity.

Individuals from Ventur, a travel management consultancy, are taking part in the Royal Pride Charity Challenge on behalf of charity, Kids Village, which is planning to build a bespoke holiday village, complete with accommodation lodges and fun experiences for children who are terminally ill and their families.

The challenge will see the Ventur staff race against other teams as they follow a route which takes them through London’s 10 royal parks. Starting at Bushy Park and ending in Greenwich Park, the participants will cover a distance of 42km, the same as a marathon.

Emma Louise Forrestall, head of service delivery at Ventur, said: “Our team is really looking forward to Sunday – they’ve been training for weeks and are really touched by the Kids Village cause, which was founded by a friend of the business.
“The thought of children suffering is utterly heart-breaking, and the work being done by the charity is fantastic in lifting spirits for both the children and their families, at what is such an emotionally draining time.”

Ventur, which specialises in tailored travel solutions for businesses, professional sports organisations and groups, is aiming to raise £2,400 as part of the charity challenge and is encouraging donations via its Virgin Money Giving.

“Walking the distance of a marathon, while racing against other teams, is going to be a challenge but the team are looking forward to getting stuck in, visiting all of London’s royal parks on foot and raising vital funds for a very worthy cause, “ added Emma. Founded by the Fletcher family in 2018, Kids Village was created after the family’s own history of illness.

Samantha Fletcher, co-founder of Kids Village, said: “We founded Kids Village following mine and my family’s personal experience with childhood cancer. We have a passion to help other families find a positive and uplifting respite environment, away from the uncertainty, endless appointments and hospital visits, which is very common for families with a child battling a critical illness. We recognise that it affects the entire family; the child themselves, the siblings, the parents, the grandparents - everyone.

“We want children to enjoy a form of escape, so a Kids Village holiday is entirely bespoke to them –from having their name in lights at the lodge they’re staying at to tailoring the experience to their interests whether that’s recreating a make-up parlour or hosting a puppy party. We need vital funds to create these experiences and build Kids Village, which will be the first of its kind in the UK. So, we’re incredibly grateful to the Ventur team for joining our Royal Pride Charity Challenge and taking on the London streets.”

The Royal Pride Charity Challenge take place on Sunday 10 October. Those wishing to sponsor Ventur and donate to Kids Village can see the team’s donation link on Twitter @VenturPartners.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anisha Mistry .