The Tui Community Hero Award

Caitlan Grime, managing director, The Departure Hub

Having taken the plunge of opening her first travel agency in the Lancashire town of Oswaldtwistle, Caitlan wanted to give back to her local community for the support they had shown her fledgling company after just over a year in business.

She decided to gift a less fortunate local family with a much-needed weekend break away and opened up a confidential nomination scheme where people in the community would email with names of other families they thought would benefit. Overnight, Caitlan, a former Althams Travel apprentice, was “inundated” with messages.

“I was taken back at how many people around us were struggling or going through a difficult time. I didn’t sleep after reading all the emails and I knew I wanted to go further and help as many people as possible,” she said.

The next morning, Caitlan reached out to fellow local business owners, explaining the situation and her desire to expand the giveaway to more families. With their support, Caitlan was able to send 20 families away on mini-breaks, contacting them just before Christmas to share the exciting news.