Family Holiday Association

EDM number 2069 in 1992-93, proposed by Nigel Griffiths on 24/05/1993.

That this House congratulates the Family Holiday Association for its excellent work in providing grants for holidays for deprived families in desperate and often tragic circumstances; notes that annually 12 million people in the United Kingdom cannot afford any holiday break at all; notes that the Association has provided grants towards holidays for 9,000 families many of whom have never had a holiday in their lives, are on very low incomes, live in poor housing and suffer ill-health; notes that many of those who benefit from grants suffer from disabilities, family tragedy and trauma; notes that applications to the Association come from social services, health visitors and other welfare agencies through whom grants are paid, particularly in the West Midlands, London, South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, South Wales, Tyne and Wear, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Strathclyde, Gloucestershire and Leicestershire; notes that the Association last year provided 904 families, comprising 2,516 children and 1,295 parents with holidays and raised over ú500,000 by the tremendous voluntary fund-raising efforts, but regrets that 1,500 other families in equal need had to be refused grants when the Association's income was exhausted; welcomes the support of the travel industry whose members alone raised ú100,000 through their Holiday Aid '92 fund raising programme; and recognises their continuing support and fund-raising efforts this year.

This motion has been signed by a total of 105 MPs.