Holidays

This section gives information about some of the organisations which offer holidays catering
specifically for children and adults with a learning disability, either unaccompanied or with
their families.

Contact a Family has published a Guide to Holidays, Play and Leisure which is available free
of charge from their helpline: 0808 808 3555

A list of organisations that offer free or discounted holiday breaks for disabled children and their carers can be found here

Financial Assistance Towards a Holiday

There are a number of trusts and voluntary funds available, which may be able to provide financial assistance towards the cost of a holiday. Listed below are such organisations.
Check eligibility criteria and application procedure with the fund.

Local authorities (Social Services Depts) too may be able to offer some assistance.

 

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Holiday Options

Access Travel

This organisation can arrange flights, accessible accommodation and holidays in Europe, the USA, including Florida, Spain, France, Majorca, the Algarve, Cyprus, Malta and Greece.

Contact

Access Travel (Lancs) Ltd
6 The Hillock
Astley
Manchester
M29 7GW

Ategi Adult Placement Scheme (Shared Lives) Cardiff

The ategi Shared Lives Scheme arranges long term accommodation and support or short breaks in the homes of carefully chosen, assessed, trained and supported people called Shared Lives Carers. People who would rather live in an ordinary household are matched with Shared Lives Carers who provide consistent support and include individuals within their family lifestyle and activities.

Contact

Tim Southern – Head of Shared Lives Services
Lisa Burnett – Shared Lives Scheme Manager
Ategi
6 Ty-Nant Court
Morganstown
Cardiff
CF15 8LW

Calvert Trust

The Calvert Trust enables people with disabilities, together with their families and
friends, to enjoy outdoor adventure in the countryside in Exmoor, Northumbria and the
Lake District.

Contact

The Calvert Trust

Camping and Caravanning Club

People with a learning disability are welcome on all of The Club’s camping and caravanning sites throughout the UK (currently 110). The majority of which also have facilities for people who have physical disabilities.

Contact

The Camping and Caravanning Club
Greenfields House Westwood Way
Coventry
CV4 8JH

Disabled Holiday Directory

This organisation can arrange flights, holidays, city breaks and cruises in the UK and abroad for disabled people. They also accept Family Fund cards. 

Disabled Holiday Info

This website gives travellers with disabilities (whether they are wheelchair users or have
other mobility issues) information on accessible holiday accommodation, attractions & activities.

Contact

Disabled Holiday Information
PO. Box 186
Oswestry
Shropshire
SY10 1AF

Harriet Davis Seaside Holiday Trust for Disabled Children

The Trust has four self-catering houses in Pembrokeshire one of which has an indoor
heated swimming pool with hoist. Three houses are in the Tenby area and are fully adapted and equipped for physically disabled children and the fourth, in Narberth, has been adapted for children with autism and learning disabilities.

Letting fees include all linen, light, heating and the services of part-time helpers.

Contact

Helen Lees-Griffiths, Administrator
Harriet Davis Trust
Tenby Observer Offices Warren Street
Tenby
Pembrokeshire
SA70 7JY

Kiloran Trust

Kiloran offers full-time carers a 5-night break in their West London house. The house has 3 en-suite spacious bedrooms, and is informal, friendly, warm and relaxed. A television and a tea/coffee tray is provided in the bedrooms as well as the comfort of the downstairs living room with big fireplace, and a south facing garden.

The current subsidised cost is £250.00 for a Mon. - Sat. break, which includes meals.

Contact

Kiloran Trust
157 Blythe Road
London
W14 0HL

Livability Holidays

Livability Holidays offers affordable, accessible holiday accommodation for disabled people, their friends, family and carers. In addition to the 2 hotels (1 in Wales and 1 in Minehead), there are a number of self-catering outlets available in popular destinations.

Contact

Livability
50 Scrutton Street
London
EC2A 4XQ

Margaret Champney Rest and Holiday Fund

This is a charitable trust providing funds for carers who need a complete break from their
caring role. Generally the amount of grant is between £200 - £300 to be used towards the cost of a break away. Applications should come from a professional on the carer’s behalf.

Contact

Margaret Champney Rest & Holiday Fund
The Gate House 9 Burkitt Road
Woodbridge
Suffolk
IP12 4JJ

National Holiday Fund for Sick and Disabled Children

This charity takes chronically or terminally ill children, temporarily or permanently physically disabled children, on a unique international adventure to Florida, USA.

The Charity does NOT fund independent travel arrangements.

Contact

NHF
P O Box 318
Great Yarmouth
Norfolk
NR29 4WT

Scout Holiday Homes Trust

The Trust provides affordable family holidays at popular holiday sites, with specially adapted
accommodation for all families with a special need. These holidays are available to families,
carers or groups who have a member with a disability, physical or mental or age related illness and to low-income or single-parent families. No Scouting connection is required.

Contact

Mrs Lynda Peters
The Scout Holiday Homes Trust
Gilwell Park
Chingford
London
E4 7QW

Stackpole for Schools

Stackpole for Schools caters for groups of children from primary to A-level. The Centre can take up to 45 students a week and offers flexible tutored activities, which encourage an
understanding of the environment.

Programmes can combine National Curriculum fieldwork with outdoor activities, such as abseiling, canoeing and orienteering.

Contact

The Centre Manager
Stackpole for Schools (National Trust)
Old Home Farm
Stackpole
Pembroke
SA71 5DQ

Storey Arms Outdoor Education Centre

The Storey Arms Centre offers outdoor learning opportunities for schools and youth centres, as
well as groups from higher education, charitable organisations and industry.

The major outdoor activities provided for at the Centre are rock climbing and abseiling, kayaking, canoeing & rafting (weather permitting), caving, hill walking, adventure / gorge walking, orienteering, team building / problem solving tasks.

Contact

The Centre Secretary
Storey Arms Centre
Libanus
Brecon
Powys
LD3 8NL

TFA (Tourism for All) UK

TFA is a registered charity which provides information and support on holidays for people
with special needs which make it hard for them to find a suitable holiday.

Contact

Tourism for All UK
C/o Vitalise
Shap Road Industrial Estate Shap Road
Kendal
Cumbria
LA9 6NZ

Traveleyes

Traveleyes is the first commercial tour operator providing holidays specifically tailored for people who are visually impaired.

They look after the accommodation, transport and activities, and provide sighted guides to help with the excursions.

 

Contact

Traveleyes
PO Box 511
Leeds
LS5 3JT

Trevanion House Holidays

Trevanion House provides holidays for adults with a learning disability in hotel standard
accommodation with the benefit of a registration with the Care Quality Commission.

Activities for the day and evening are planned with the guests on their arrival. Three minibuses
with staff as escorts offer the guests a choice each day of places to explore, and also to have an independent holiday. Guests can be met at the train station or airport.

Prices avaliable on application. Guests are welcome to discuss their specific care needs with the
Registered Care Manager.

Contact

The Bookings Administrator
Trevanion House
Trevanion Road
Wadebridge
Cornwall
PL27 7PA

Ty Glyn Davis Trust Holiday Centre

The Ty Glyn Davis Trust offers a fully accessible self-catering holiday centre for children and
young people with disabilities located just outside Aberaeron in West Wales.

The centre sleeps up to 16 people in 9 bedrooms. There are three bathrooms, one drive-in for wheelchair users, one en-suite shower room and a new purpose-built bathroom with overhead hoist, air bath, powered shower and a changing bed. Special facilities for wheelchair users and portable hoists are available, as well as an adjustable powered bed, so the centre is able to welcome children, young people, their families, friends and carers with any sort of physical or learning disability.

Contact

Louise Hutchings, Centre Organiser
Ty Glyn Davis Trust
Hafod
Llanarth
Ceredigion
SA47 0QB

Vale Adult Placement Service

The Adult Placement Service arranges accommodation and support for adults with learning difficulties in the homes of specially recruited people (Hosts) living in the community in the Vale of Glamorgan.

The Service currently arranges:

  • Long Term Supported Accommodation
  • Respite Care
  • Emergency Care
  • Supported Holidays
  • Additional Support - Daytime’s or Evenings

Contact

The Adult Placement Service
Unit 3 Washington Chambers Stanwell Road
Stanwell Road
Vale of Glamorgan
CF64 2AF

Financial Assistance towards a Holiday

3H Fund

Help the Handicapped Holiday Fund

The 3H Fund organises group breaks for physically disabled people over 13 years old with volunteers and trained nurses to provide support. Depending upon incoming funds, 3H Fund also has a grant programme to assist disabled people and their families to organise a modest breaks for themselves in the UK.

Contact

3H Fund (Help the Handicapped Holiday Fund)
B2 Speldhurst Business Park Langton Road, Speldhurst
Tunbridge Wells
Kent
TN3 0AQ

Caudwell Children

Family Services Help

Caudwell Children’s Family Support Services helps families by providing practical and emotional support in the home and beyond. Their website has details of the very wide range of services that you may be eligible for. 

You can apply for support services for families in the home or in the hospital providing practical and emotional support at times of crisis. An online application form is held on their website. Services include Family support services and short break activities, help with therapies, specialised treatments, ASD specific assistance, holidays and assistance with the costs of essential equipment and much more.

Assistance varies from financial help, advice, assessment and a variety of other specialist services

 

Clevedon Forbes Fund

Clevedon Forbes Fund is a Christian charity which makes grants for UK residents of limited
means who need a convalescent break following illness or trauma. Grants to assist with a break
are also available to individuals caring for people with health problems or a disability.

Applications are accepted from professionals in the statutory or voluntary care sector on behalf
of service users known to them.

Contact

Clevedon Forbes Fund
4 Kenn Road
Clevedon
Bristol
BS21 6EL

Family Holiday Association

The Family Holiday Association helps to provide breaks for families and children in need through the provision of and by promoting access to holidays and other recreational activities. Referrals can be made by professionals in the statutory or voluntary sector.

Contact

Family Holiday Association
3 Gainsford Street
London
SE1 2NE

League of the Helping Hand

The League of the Helping Hand provides one-off grants for breaks that are recuperative following an illness/stay in hospital, or a carer’s break.

Contact

The Secretary
LHH
PO Box 342
Burgess Hill
RH15 5AQ

Trefoil House

Trefoil House provides grants for breaks for young people under the age 18 with special needs or disability.

Contact

Trefoil House
East Lodge
Gogarmuir Road
Edinburgh
EH12 9BZ

Turn2us

Turn2us exists to help people access the money available to them – through benefits,
grants and other financial help. Their free, accessible website – www.turn2us.org.uk – has
been designed to help people find appropriate sources of financial support, quickly and
easily, based on their particular needs and circumstances.

Features include:

  • A Benefits Checker - that helps people ensure that they are receiving all the welfare benefits theyare entitled to.
  • Grants Search section containing the details of hundreds of grant-giving charities (national,regional and local) that may be able to provide financial support and other services.
  • A confidential ‘My Turn2us’ account that can be used to make online enquiries and applicationsto grant-giving charities.
  • Information and interactive tools covering a wide range of subjects on welfare benefits,grants and managing money.

Their service is free, confidential and secure.

Contact

Turn2us
Unit 9 Cefn Coed Parc
Nantgarw
Cardiff
CF15 7QQ

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