On National Children’s Day UK, HF Holidays looks to next generation of Walkers

On National Children’s Day UK (15 May), HF Holidays encourages everyone who loves walking to give the gift of the great outdoors to a child they know, by buying Under 16s Membership, opening the door to a lifetime of healthy enjoyment of Britain’s countryside.

HF Holidays – the UK’s biggest walking and activity holidays operator and a co-operative society – already has over 33,500 share-holding members, many of them grandparents and parents.

HF Holidays recently introduced a special membership scheme for children under 16.

“Children holding shares in a co-operative organisation is a very new opportunity,” says HF Holidays’ chief executive Brian Smith.

“Childhood isn’t what it used to be: in our day we explored, made dens, climbed trees, and came home tired, dirty and happy. Now we all worry about children spending too much time indoors, experiencing the world only via technology,” says Smith.

“We introduced the Under 16s membership category, and we support National Children’s Day UK – launched by the Save Childhood Movement – because we believe children are happier and healthier when they engage with the great outdoors. And there’s no better way to do this than go walking!”

Under 16s membership of HF Holidays can be purchased with a minimum investment of 100 £1 shares. Under 16s enjoy the same annual rate of interest as adult shareholders, and a special welcome pack including a Gelert compass, an HF Holidays ‘passport’ in which to log visits to the range of HF Holidays country houses, and a durable HF Holidays luggage tag.

HF Holidays first under 16s members include:

Tom and Ella Jagger: The teenagers have always been interested in their grandmother’s stories of walking with HF Holidays. She bought shares in Tom and Ella’s names to build on their existing enthusiasm for the outdoors and to help them learn about investing.

Benjamin Pope: This five-year old is looking forward to his first family holiday with HF Holidays. His mother hopes membership will encourage a lifelong enjoyment of walking and the outdoors, and , because he is an only child, the sociable nature of outdoor activity is a bonus.

When HF Holidays was founded in 1913 – the organisation celebrates its Centenary this year – its mission was:

“To promote the healthy enjoyment of leisure, to encourage the love of the open air and to promote social and international fellowship and to cater for all ages, abilities, cultures and nationalities”.

“Those principles still underpin HF Holidays in 2013, and our under 16s membership scheme is a great way to reach out to a new generation. Our involvement in the national campaign Britain on Foot, and partnerships with the national walking charity, Ramblers, are other ways to ensure that HF Holidays thrive for another 100 years,” says Smith.

For further information about membership of HF Holidays visit www.hfholidays.co.uk/membership

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.