TV Presenter Neil Oliver announced as Family Holiday Association Ambassador for Summer Coast Appeal

 

BBC Coast presenter Neil Oliver is to be the ambassador for the Family Holiday Association charity's summer coast appeal.

 

Around 2.2 million families in the UK (that's almost one in every three) **  can't afford a short break away from home, and 1.5 million families cannot afford even one day away at the seaside.

 

Seeing the happiness that families share at the seaside has compelled Neil to support the work of the Family Holiday Association.

 

Neil is a father and enjoys sharing his love of the coast with his own children. Making happy holiday memories, he believes, can sustain you throughout the rest of your life. With his work on nine series of Coast Neil has been able to share with millions of television viewers the pleasures of the seaside and the natural beauty, culture and geographic richness of Britain's coastline.

 

Neil feels passionately that people should support The Family Holiday Association to help the people who most need a break. Even a simple seaside trip offers sustainable wellbeing to a family struggling with poverty, illness, bereavement or disability. 

 

The Family Holiday Association provides breaks at the British seaside for over 8000 children and their families each year.  These are families who face daily hardship made worse by desperate circumstances. Typically the charity offers these families a chance to spend a few days in a caravan in a UK seaside town.

 

"The work of the Family Holiday Association really does make a difference. It would be wonderful to help me make our coast matter. Imagine trying to cope with the worst that life can throw at you but with no chance of an escape and with nothing to look forward to," said Oliver.

 

"I really want to encourage everyone lucky enough to enjoy holidays and day trips to support this appeal. The money we raise will help children see the sea for the first time in their lives. Together we can help those families who can't see any escape from the daily struggle of impoverished lives. Whatever you donate - it will matter," added Oliver.

 

Why donate?

 

Paddling in the sea, building a sandcastle, hearing the wave's crash, exploring a rock pool - all things that over 2 million children in the UK haven't ever had the chance to do.

 

"What must it be like never to know the excitement and anticipation of a fun day out - waking up early for the journey, questioning 'are we nearly there yet' and wanting to be the first to see the sea?" continued Oliver.

 

Like many, Neil finds it hard to imagine never having seen the sea in real life but only on TV, and these are the children he desperately wants to help.

 

How to Donate

 

Donating to the Family Holiday Association is simple. You can visit the website  http://www.familyholidayassociation.org.uk and click the 'Donate here' button for credit and debit card payments; you can send a cheque made out to Family Holiday Association; or you can set up a regular gift payment. Email for a standing order form at info@FamilyHolidayAssociation.org.uk

 

 

-ends-

 

Notes to Editors

 

About the Family Holiday Association:

• The Family Holiday Association charity helps over 8000 children and their families a year have a simple UK break and escape the stresses of bereavement, poverty, chronic illness, inadequate housing or domestic violence
• Typically, a family granted a break spends a few days in a caravan in a UK seaside town
• The Family Holiday Association works with referring agents such as Barnardo's, NSPCC, local authority social services, refuges and domestic abuse support services
• The Family Holiday Association is registered charity no. 800262 and has been running for over 38 years
• The Family Holiday Association is funded solely by donations from the public and  the tourism industry
• TUI Travel plc are their largest corporate sponsor
• The Family Holiday Association acts as the Secretariat for the influential All-Party-Parliamentary-Group on social tourism.   
• ** One in three families in the UK can't afford a simple break away from home while one in five is not even able to go on a day trip* *From a report by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), Focus on Families 2005

For further information contact:

 

• Press Enquiries: Fiona Reece, Fiona Reece PR - fiona@fionareece.com or call 01242 211 192
• Family Holiday Association: Angie Watson, Marketing Manger or John McDonald, Director
• angie@FamilyHolidayAssociation.org.uk or john.mcdonald@FamilyHolidayAssociation.org.uk
• Direct Lines: 020 3117 0662, 020 3117 0665 
• Twitter: @famholidayassoc
• facebook.com/famholidayassoc
• Blog: www.famholidayassoc.wordpress.com
• Niel Oliver enquiries,  Mark Johnson, Factual Mangement, mark@factualmanagement.com  

About Neil Oliver

Neil Oliver is a Scottish archaeologist, historian, broadcaster and writer who is widely known as the presenter of BBC's television series Coast and A History of Scotland.

He lives in Stirling with his wife and three children. www.neiloliver.com

 

 "Thank you so much for our days at the seaside. Cannot remember the last time we had so much fun. We did not stop smiling and we are all still smiling."

Father, Birmingham

"We had an amazing time and it allowed us to relax and spend time together for just us. The children still talk about it and look at the photos. It has left us with many happy memoires that have got us through difficult times since coming home. You are a fantastic charity and help people have happy times when they need them most."

Family, Glasgow

 

"It was really good to take my daughter on her first holiday. The benefits of increased confidence from doing this were more life changing than I'd realised they would be. So thank you very much."

Mother, Braintree

 

"After my holiday, I am all laughing and happy inside"
child aged 7, London