Hays’ Peter Holgate to skydive for SMA charity


Andrew McQuarrie


A Hays Travel branch manager is preparing to confront his fear of heights in a charity skydive nearly 30 years after losing his baby daughter to a rare genetic condition. Peter Holgate, who manages


the agency’s Cheltenham shop, is raising money for Spinal Muscular Atrophy UK ahead of his plunge from 15,000ft on June 28. “I love flying but I’m petrified


of heights, so I’m not going to be enjoying this one bit,” said Holgate, whose daughter Stephanie died from SMA Type 1 at seven months old in January 1997. Although he and his wife Michelle


raised money for the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children soon after Stephanie’s death, Holgate was inspired to start another fundraising drive upon hearing former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson speaking on breakfast TV about her twins’ SMA diagnosis. “I nearly dropped my spoon


in my cornflakes. Her twins have exactly what Stephanie had,” said Holgate, who added that his daughter was one of only two children in the UK with SMA Type 1 at the time of her diagnosis. Recalling Stephanie’s experience, he said: “We had a little boy, Christian,


Peter


Holgate and baby daughter Stephanie


and he was as fit as a flea. Fifteen months later, in June 1996, Stephanie was born. Three months in, my wife had some intuition and said, ‘I don’t think she’s moving quite as much as Christian used to.’” The couple saw a specialist, who


diagnosed Stephanie’s condition. “It’s like motor neurone disease,


but in children,” said Holgate, whose daughter died in intensive care after spending three days in Bristol’s children’s hospital. “There isn’t a day that we don’t think what could have been and what she would have been like,” he said. “You never get over it, but you’ve got to live with it.” Holgate would like the rest of


Fred Olsen boosts retail network with Ponders Travel acquisition


Fred Olsen Travel has added to its retail network with the acquisition of Ponders Travel in Over, Cambridgeshire. The agency becomes Fred Olsen’s 24th shop, joining 10 others in East Anglia and a further 13 across the south coast. It will continue to operate under the Ponders Travel brand, with its exisiting staff members, but will have access to Fred Olsen’s marketing support.


8 12 FEBRUARY 2026


the UK to follow Scotland’s lead by including SMA as one of the rare conditions covered by the newborn blood spot test, a check recommended for babies at five days old. “If it were done en masse, no


family would go through the hell we’ve gone through,” he said. Holgate, who hopes his


fundraising drive will raise at least £1,000, said the skydive will be the “scariest” challenge he has faced. “My wife thinks I’ve gone mad,


but it will feel better to do something outside my comfort zone and to raise


money while doing it,” he added. ● To donate, visit justgiving.com/ page/peter-holgate-1


Tui Group plans to introduce pan-European budget brand


Tui Group is to launch a pan-European budget holiday brand “in the very near future”. Chief executive Sebastian Ebel outlined the plans as Tui unveiled its Q1 results (p47). Ebel said it was not planning to expand in the budget hotel sector, where it has its Suneo brand, but wants to boost its dynamic packaging product.


NCL names five agent ‘Champions’ to steer strategy


Norwegian Cruise Line has revealed the five agents who will be its NCL Champions for 2026. The chosen group, who will


spend three nights on Norwegian Luna for its christening sailing, will work closely with the cruise line over the next year to help shape its trade strategy. The selected agents are: Craig


Barton, Barrhead Travel; Phil Franks, Hays Travel; Lynsey Joy, Travel Solutions; Angela Perkins, Designer Travel; and John Ryrie, Travel Counsellors. Gary Anslow, NCL


vice-president and head of UK and Ireland, said the line was “delighted” to have identified its 2026 champions. He added: “Their passion,


creativity and commitment to the cruise industry shone through in their applications, and we are thrilled to be working with them as we continue to share the NCL message across the travel agent community in 2026. “We look forward to welcoming


them to Norwegian Luna’s christening in Miami, and the many events and activations that follow in 2026.” The agents, who nominated


themselves by answering three questions on the Travel Weekly website, will attend the Agent Achievement Awards in July as guests of NCL.


One in three Britons intend to fly more this year – CAA survey


Almost a third of consumers (31%) plan to fly more in 2026 than last year, new data shows. A CAA survey suggests a desire to fly more is especially strong among younger travellers, with 47% of 18-34-year-olds intending to do so, compared with 29% of 35-54-year-olds and 22% of those aged 55-plus. Overall satisfaction with air travel was 88%, the highest since tracking began in 2016.


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