A group of Northern Ireland travel agents have raised more than £12,000 for a charity that supports families of children and young people with congenital heart disease.

Each year, Hays Travel branches are provided with a £500 budget to use for fundraising and charity work in their local area as part of its Local Community Partnership initiative.

For the last few years, Hays Travel teams across Northern Ireland have chosen to join forces and all fundraise for the same charity to make as much money as possible for one organisation.

During the financial year 2025 / 2026, the 24 teams in the region chose to support the Children’s Heartbeat Trust, a charity that supports families of children and young people with congenital heart disease across Northern Ireland. And through their combined efforts, they managed to raise a whopping £12,434.30.

Fundraising activities ranged from skydives, abseils, pub quizzes and sponsored walks to colouring competitions, toy sales, and raffles.

In charge of bringing all the fundraising activities together and motivating the region is Carrickfergus branch manager and ‘charity champ’, Kelsey Smith-Johnson.

Kelsey said: “I am immensely proud of our Northern Ireland region for raising an incredible £12,434 for the Children’s Heartbeat Trust, a charity that is close to the hearts of many of our team members.

“The generosity, dedication and enthusiasm shown across the region has been truly inspiring, and I’d like to thank everyone who played a part in this fantastic achievement.”

Hays Travel regional sales manager, Nicola Allison, said: "I am incredibly proud of our Northern Ireland region for raising an outstanding £12,434 for the Children's Heartbeat Trust.

“This is a charity that does so much to support children and young people living with heart disease, as well as their families, across Northern Ireland.

“The work they do makes a real and lasting difference to so many lives.

“What makes this achievement even more meaningful is that this charity has also provided support to some of our own colleagues and their families, making the cause especially close to our hearts.

“This fantastic total is a testament to the generosity, commitment and community spirit shown by our teams across the region, and I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this incredible fundraising success."

Lynn Cowan, fundraising manager at Children’s Heartbeat Trust, said: “We are incredibly grateful for Hays Travel's remarkable fundraising over the past year.

“They should be incredibly proud of this achievement and the direct impact that these donations will have on local children living with heart disease.

“Hays Travel staff have given their time, energy and generosity – and knowing some staff have a direct connection to Children's Heartbeat Trust made the partnership even more meaningful.

“Funds raised will help us provide practical, emotional and financial assistance to families of children with heart disease during some of their most challenging times.

“This includes financial grants to ease the burden on families who must travel outside Northern Ireland for their child’s heart surgery or spend prolonged periods in hospital; regular ward visits from our Family Support Team; guidance, emotional reassurance and access to professional counselling; and events providing opportunities for families to connect with others who truly understand.

“Thank you, Hays Travel NI, for coming together and improving the lives of children and young people with heart disease across Northern Ireland.”

Hays Travel is the UK’s largest independent travel agent, with branches across the UK – all committed to supporting their customers and the local communities they serve.

Each Hays Travel branch is provided with a £500 budget to use for fundraising and charity work in their local area; £200 of this is to be used to fundraise for charities which support young people’s mental health, and the other £300 can be used for charities chosen by the branch.

In 2025, Hays Travel’s Local Community Partnership initiative across its retail network has donated almost £170,000 to local charities.