The Tui Community Hero Award Shortlist 2025

Since launching her agency in May 2024, Jessica has held a range of community events and activities around Newquay, from a Search for the Sun hamper giveaway to a fundraiser for the local RNLI. The crowning charitable achievement for Jessica and L&K this past year was a Secret Santa campaign that reached television screens across the South West. Jessica created request forms for people to ask for toys, food or gifts for loved ones, or children who wouldn't otherwise receive anything. After handing out more than 250 leaflets across the town, an online form was set up and gained the attention of BBC Spotlight, with Jessica interviewed on TV. The campaign managed to donate more than £500 worth of presents.

Having had to leave her home and forge a new life in the UK following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Liliia has run her online travel agency since December 2022, growing to a team of six fellow Ukrainian women specialising in trips for her fellow Ukrainians living in Britain. In the past 12 months, Liliia’s business has enabled 400 Ukrainian families to travel and has held more than 50 career sessions with Ukrainian refugees looking to find roles in the UK’s travel industry. She has also spoken at a number of events for Ukrainian communities across the UK, sharing her story and her experience in building a business.

Hosting a series of coach trips helped the team at Hays Travel, Whitley Bay put smiles on customer faces and support a number of good causes. Trips to Windermere, Scarborough, Harrogate, Edinburgh and York saw the team putting on days out for 350 clients, raising £5,600 through ticket sales and games played onboard – with mince pies and mulled wine sales on the Christmas coach trips. Money collected went towards supporting disabled and vulnerable people in the North East, with manager Darren volunteering in his free time for two of the team’s chosen charities.