News

Red Arrows pay tribute to Manchester attack victims

The Red Arrows extended a performance at the Sunderland Airshow to include a tribute to Westoe Travel apprentice Chloe Rutherford and her boyfriend Liam Curry.

The Royal Air Force Aerobatic team created a heart in the sky as a tribute to the two victims of the Manchester bombings attack in May.

The heart was an addition to the usual routine and could be seen in the sky near to the families’ homes in South Shields.

Westoe Travel owner, Graeme Brett said: “This was an amazing tribute and it was wonderful to see if front of over two hundred thousand people.

“The families were overwhelmed by the tribute.”

More than £13,000 has been raised for the families of Chloe and Liam, with a new target of £20,000 set.

The Chloe and Liam Appeal was established by Ken Garrity Travel of Altrincham in conjunction with Pole Travel of Failsworth with a target of £10,000.

Brett said: “With the amazing support from the Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards which will raise almost £7,000 we have passed the original target of £10,000 but having seen the challenges the two families face we have doubled our efforts to try to get to the £20,000.”

The agency has also started a raffle, Together Forever – The Big Prize Draw, which aims to raise further money by offering a chance to win one of 50 prizes including two return tickets to Dubai.

Brett also thanked Travel Counsellor homeworker Elaine Simpson from Hebden Bridge who has bought a raffle ticket for every customer who books with her during this month.

He said: “We are so grateful for all of the support from our wonderful colleagues and are still working our way through the hundreds of pledge cards made at the Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards and have been following up the last few pledges this week.”

Tickets for the raffle cost £5 each and are available from Ken Garrity Travel 0161 929 0142

Share article

View Comments

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.