A group of Rochdale travel agents have organised a coach trip to raise money for the Rainbow Trust children’s charity.

The team from Hays Travel on Yorkshire Street in Rochdale took almost 50 customers to the Liverpool Christmas Markets and Bents Garden Centre on Saturday 6 December, with the funds from ticket sales going to the Rainbow Trust.

Hays Travel colleagues entertained their passengers on route with a quiz and raffle.

The charity coach trip raised a whopping £850 in total for the charity which supports families with seriously ill children.

Freya Sheldon, assistant manager at Hays Travel in Rochdale, said: “Our charity coach trip was a wonderful success, taking us first to the beautifully decorated Bents Garden Centre and then on to the vibrant Liverpool Christmas Markets, where everyone enjoyed festive food, shopping, and plenty of seasonal cheer.

“This year, we chose to support the Rainbow Trust, a charity that provides vital emotional and practical support to families with children aged 0-18 who are living with life-threatening or terminal illnesses.

"Their work is extraordinary: they offer bespoke, compassionate assistance and currently support over 25 per cent of the 6,000 families in England who need this specialised help. Operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the Rainbow Trust is always there when families need them most, which made them the perfect cause for our trip.”

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 the last year, Hays Travel’s Local Community Partnership initiative across its retail network has donated over £177,000 to local charities.