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Youngsters ‘lap’ up Christmas trip of a lifetime

20th November 2009 Print

Christmas is getting off to a flying start for around 100 children, parents and teachers as family holiday company First Choice and its airline Thomson Airways jet them off to snowy Lapland for a fairytale trip of a lifetime.

On Thursday 10 December, the children from Delce Junior School in Kent will board the specially decorated, ‘Reindeer-powered’ Thomson Airways aircraft and will be treated to a magical day in the winter wonderland of Lapland. They will enjoy an action-packed day of festive fun including husky rides, snowmobiles, meeting Rudolph and his friends - and of course a visit to meet the Big Man himself!

This special Christmas flight will be taking place in association with the Family Holiday Association and the children have been selected from low-income families and most have never been overseas before. For the Family Holiday Association, this daytrip provides a unique launch to the beginning of a three year school-centred project providing simple UK breaks aimed at improving the lives of pupils from low-income families. The project hopes to encourage greater engagement and trust between school and families, enhance relationships and produce real and tangible benefits not just for the participants but the whole community. It will encompass the whole school community but with a focus on those children and families most likely to benefit.

A break away from the stresses and strains of everyday life brings considerable benefits particularly to those families least able to afford a holiday. A simple break away from home has also been shown to help build stronger, happier families.

Dermot Blastland, TUI Travel Managing Director, said: “As the UK’s leading family holiday company, we fully understand the value of spending quality time together away from home. We are absolutely delighted to be able to make this Christmas extra special for these families and to demonstrate our continued commitment to this worthwhile charity.”

John McDonald, Director of the Family Holiday Association, said: “Thanks to First Choice and Thomson Airways we are able to give these children a Christmas treat they will never forget! For many of these families, it’s a very rare opportunity to spend some quality time together away from the stresses of everyday life.”