Hand In Hand Holidays: Accessible travel for those with disabilities
For Neil, travel has always been about adventure, independence and creating memories, and now he’s making sure people with visible and non-visible disabilities can experience those things too.
The founder of Hand in Hand Holidays has more than 17 years’ experience organising group and one-to-one holidays (known as Buddy Holly-Days) for people with disabilities. Although the new business only launched in October last year, Neil’s passion for accessible travel stretches back decades.
“I’ve always had a real interest in travel,” he says. After studying social care at West Kent College, Neil went backpacking in 1991 and ended up travelling extensively through France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Israel and Egypt. That spirit of adventure never left him.
Today, Hand in Hand Holidays offers carefully planned group and one-to-one trips, with a maximum of 10 holidaymakers supported by a team of up to five staff. Every guest completes a detailed questionnaire covering everything from medication and dietary requirements to personal care and potential challenges, allowing Neil to create an individual care plan.
The emphasis is on independence. Family members and support workers don’t usually accompany guests, although they can join where their knowledge is important to ensure a safe and successful holiday.
He offers a personal touch, often visiting holidaymakers in their homes before the trip takes place, ensuring people feel comfortable being in his presence.
Holidays don’t necessarily mean flying. Recent UK adventures have included trains, boats, speedboats, an air show and Diggerland, while Neil has also taken guests to Disneyland Paris via Eurostar.
International trips have included Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Italy, Morocco and Egypt.
Hand in Hand are also passionate about raising awareness of invisible disabilities, regularly sharing educational content about the sunflower lanyard and accessible travel on social media.
Looking ahead, the plans are ambitious: skiing with sit-skis, Disneyland, horse-riding, a rock ‘n’ roll week, cooking holidays and even accessible Greek island-hopping.
“I’m trying to educate people,” Neil says. “When people have a lanyard on, they might have needs that you can’t see.”
For Neil, it all comes back to one simple principle: happiness. “If you’re happy in doing what you do, that then goes on to the next person.” And with Hand in Hand Holidays, that happiness is opening the door to adventures that everyone deserves to experience.
Read other articles here
