Holiday Co-operative steps up to £5m share capital mark

HF Holidays has reached the £5m share capital mark, a cause for celebration at the holiday co-operative founded 100 years ago.

At the same time, shareholding membership has risen to 34,000 people, the highest level of support for the organisation since the 1970s.

And HF Holidays forecasts annual turnover in 2013 will be £28m, an increase from £19.4m in the five years from 2008.

HF Holidays organises walking, leisure activity and cycling holidays for around 50,000 people – members and non-members alike – every year. It operates holidays at 19 country houses in some of Britain’s most beautiful locations, and from hotels across Europe and Worldwide.

“We have more than doubled membership investment in the last four years; an amazing achievement during the recession,” says Chief Executive Brian Smith, “and another milestone for our centenary year.”

“This level of support demonstrates our members’ commitment to the future of HF Holidays and the vision of our founder, TA Leonard, “to promote the healthy enjoyment of leisure, to encourage the love of the open air and to promote social and international fellowship”.

“Leonard’s vision still underpins all the work we do, with our holiday guests, our members, local communities, and nationally in partnership with the new Britain on Foot initiative and other organisations,” says Smith.

In its 100th year HF Holidays has welcomed His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales to one of its country houses.

HF Holidays has also introduced a membership scheme for children under 16, an innovation only recently made legal for co-operatives. As with full membership, under 16s membership can be purchased with a minimum investment of 100 £1 shares. Under 16s enjoy the same annual rate of interest as adult shareholders, with the addition of a special welcome pack.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved in our Centenary year,” says Smith, “especially the way in which we’ve engaged with the activity holiday community, inspiring them about the future of HF Holidays.”

For further information about HF Holidays visit www.hfholidays.co.uk/about-us

About HF Holidays

HF Holidays has been helping people enjoy the great outdoors for nearly 100 years. Today over 50,000 people come on holiday with us every year. They come for the walking. They come for the activities. They come for the fun. They come for the food. And they come for the high quality accommodation. It’s why we’re Britain’s biggest walking and outdoor leisure holiday specialists.

Background info:

* Founded in 1913, HF Holidays is a co-operative society arranging walking, outdoor and
leisure activity holidays for 50,000 people each year (for non-members, a £5 associate fee
is payable per holiday).
* Options range from guided walking breaks and self-guided trails in Britain to challenging
ascents Worldwide. The leisure activities range includes art, music, literature and mindand-body holidays.
* HF Holidays is the recommended walking holiday partner of the Ramblers, Britain’s
walking charity (ramblers.org.uk), and supports the work of the Ramblers through
membership initiatives and charitable donations.
* HF Holidays has 20 Houses in the UK’s National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural
Beauty as well as independent hotels for overseas holidays.
* HF Holidays’ walks leaders are passionate about walking and keen to share their
experience with guests (after passing a rigorous selection course).
* HF Holidays is committed to Responsible Tourism, contributing to environmental projects
around the UK – such as footpath maintenance – through its Pathways Fund and
supporting local Air Ambulance and Mountain Rescue teams as well as charities in Kenya
and South Africa.
* Voted Best Large Tour Operator by Guardian and Observer readers 2010, 2011 and 2012,
with a 2012 satisfaction score of 98 per cent. Also Best Large Short Break Operator 2011
and 2012.
* In recent research (March 2012) carried out by Which?, HF Holidays achieved
Recommended Provider Status receiving an overall customer satisfaction score of 94%.
* HF Holidays is a member of ABTOT and is ATOL protected.