Independent travel agency aims to raise £10,000 this year following cancer diagnoses for two employees
An independent travel agency in Northampton aims to raise £10,000 this year, as two employees were sadly diagnosed with breast cancer in recent months.
Footsteps Tours, located in Harborough Road, was first established in 2007 by Jo Brooks and offers escorted coach day trips and holidays, with pick ups nearby from The Cock Hotel.
The business also offers individual holiday bookings, boat and river cruises, group and family travel, and solo travel options.
It was in October last year when the business expanded, seeing it move from its former premises in the bowls club near Kingsthorpe Recreation Ground to Harborough Road.
Two Footsteps team members, Sharon and Andrea, were both sadly diagnosed with breast cancer in recent months.
As a result of this sad news, the travel agency decided to host a charity event each month of the year with the aim of raising £10,000 for Breast Friends Northamptonshire and Breast Cancer Now.
More than £500 has already been raised months in advance of an 11 kilometre walk around Pitsford Reservoir on July 13.
The news of Sharon and Andrea’s diagnoses “deeply impacted” the Footsteps team and they decided to share it on their social media platforms to followers – who Jo described as a “valued part of our extended community”.
Footsteppers are being asked to join the walk, to show solidarity to Sharon and Andrea and contribute to the global fight against breast cancer by raising vital funds.
Breast Friends was founded in 2017 by three women undergoing treatment, with the aim of providing support, promoting prevention and fostering a community for those facing their own battles across the county.
With the help of Macmillan Cancer Support and healthcare professions, the group became a registered charity offering peer support and organising events – and Andrea is now involved herself.
Jo, who shared that Andrea and Sharon received their diagnoses in March and April, said: “We were absolutely devastated. We’re a small, independent and very close working team.”
Despite being on very different treatment packages, for six and 15 months respectively, the pair have each received one round of chemotherapy already.
“In situations like this, you want to help,” said Jo. “You can’t make them better but you want to help in any way you can.”
The business already does a lot of charity work and it made sense for them to fundraise specifically for two important breast cancer charities. The upcoming monthly events also include an afternoon tea and a silent disco.
Jo says organising the fundraisers is giving Andrea and Sharon a goal to work towards and they are working hard behind the scenes for the important causes.
The money will make a “tremendous” impact, particularly to local charity Breast Friends Northamptonshire, and they are already more than a quarter of the way towards their £2,000 target.
As a small and independent travel agency, Jo stressed the importance of supporting local and getting behind one another as a community. She is pleased that around 40 people have already signed up for the sponsored walk around Pitsford Reservoir.