Many of us will have fond memories of trips away with family or friends, perhaps as children or maybe more recently as adults or parents. These positive experiences are what help us to tackle the tricker times throughout our lives and we passionately believe that the donated holidays we receive can give you and your family those special memories to support you now and in the future.

As you will be aware Time Away relies on generous donations of time in self-catering holiday properties by their owners. This is time when they could ordinarily accept paying guests but have chosen to offer it for use by Time Away families. It’s very important that the property and the owner are always respected for choosing to take part in our scheme. As part of this responsibility, it is important that we make you and your family aware of what to expect before, during and after your break.

Understanding a little about what to expect from your break, and planning for it, will ensure that you can make it a fabulous experience which will live long in your families’ memory.

A self-catering holiday is not for everyone

We understand that each family’s circumstances are unique to them. As such we understand that a self-catering holiday will be perfect for one family but extremely challenging for another.

Routine and familiarity are typically very important to a family supporting a child with additional needs. We become reliant on our home environment, the equipment in it and the support we receive.

We truly believe that a holiday away from the home routine and environment can be extremely beneficial. However, it almost always means some sort of compromise. We encourage you to have a think about how your family would manage away from home without all the comforts and support which make your life easier on a daily basis.

Below is a little more information which may help you make that decision.

About Self-Catering Holidays

‘Self-catering’ means that the property has facilities for you to prepare and cook your own meals. You will be required to bring or purchase all your own food during your stay, including basic essentials.

Self-catering accommodation often includes all bed linen and towels however it is important to check with your chosen property. You may be required to take these with you.

If you are bringing a pet (subject to the property rules, please check) ensure that you bring a towel and their usual bed or crate. Never allow your pets onto furniture or beds regardless of your own approach at home. And always pick up after them, being sure to check the garden before departure.

Before you travel

Ensure that you read any information which has been made available relating to the property before you travel. Try your best to understand the layout of the property so you know how to ensure it best suits your needs. If you feel you require extra information, don’t be afraid to ask the booking agent who will speak to the owner.

Consider working out who will take which bedroom so as to reduce the time getting organised when you arrive. Work out where the access issues may be and arrive prepared with a plan or additional equipment to help you settle in. The more time you put in before you leave the less likely you are to find any stressful surprises when you arrive.

Check that you know where the property is and how to get there. Often the postcode is provided but this may not take you exactly to the property. Use Google maps and street view to help you understand where the property is, what the locale is like and if there are any issues you may need to consider. This is particularly important when arriving in the dark. After a long journey, you want to make life as easy as possible when you arrive at your destination.

Consider taking a pre-prepared meal for your arrival. Local shops or restaurants may be closed.

Consider arranging a supermarket delivery at a time after you can be sure you have arrived. This will reduce the amount you will need to travel with.

On Arrival

Understand what the arrangements are for accessing the property. There may be a key safe with a code or you may be required to phone for access. This will vary from property to property. Have any numbers you need readily available.

Arriving at your holiday home is often very exciting (especially for children) however we understand that as parents of a child with additional needs it can also be a little daunting. We know that you have probably made a few compromises when accepting your holiday property. Very few properties are suitable to all needs so be prepared to overcome one or two challenges to ensure that you can enjoy your break.

It’s always a good idea to check that everything at the property is working as expected. Politely let the housekeeper know if you feel anything doesn’t work as expected. Owners rely on guests informing them of problems or breakages to ensure they can sort it out for you and subsequent guests.

Additional charges

Some properties may require a contribution towards the utilities or additional fuel if say, it has a log fire. You should be made aware of any mandatory additional charges when you confirm your booking.

There may be additional charges incurred if you do not meet some of the requirements at the property. This will vary between properties. For example, some properties may require you to strip the beds when you leave and place the linen into laundry bags. If this isn’t done there may be penalty charge. Please ensure you read any information and signs relating to the property when you arrive.

Often an accidental damage insurance policy is provided for Time Away guests. If you have not been told that this is the case then some properties may take a bond to ensure the property is left in good condition. You will have been made aware of this at the point of booking confirmation.

During your stay

Do whatever suits you and your family during your Time Away together. Maybe it’s exploring the local area or maybe it’s sitting in all day and playing board games. Maybe it’s sleeping! Whatever you choose to do, please remember to be considerate to the property, it’s owner and the neighbours.

Accidents do happen so if you break anything during your stay, please inform the housekeeper or owner. For an owner it’s better to know about problems and have a chance to sort them out for the next guests rather than the next guests be disappointed.

On Departure

Packing up to leave is never fun. Do a little bit the night before to ensure you have sufficient time in the morning in order to meet the requested departure time.

Please leave your property in the condition it was found when you arrived. Whilst all properties will be cleaned after you have gone it is standard practice to:

• Ensure all dishes have been cleaned and put away. Don’t leave the dishwasher full.
• Empty the fridge and freezer.
• Ensure all toilets have been brushed and flushed
• Wipe down all kitchen surfaces
• Brush / hoover all floors – especially if you have had pets with you.
• Strip beds if requested to do so. Deposit linen accordingly.
• Take out any bin bags / recycling as specified at the property.
• Turn off all lights and appliances.
• Return any furniture you may have moved to the original position.
• Leave keys as specified at the property.

After your trip

We’d love to hear about your Time Away, it gives our efforts real meaning. If you can, please send with us one or two photos that you would be happy for use to use in our marketing information. We will send you a feedback form to complete once you’ve returned home and unpacked your bags.

This information is very important to us as we will use it when applying for further donations and grants which will enable us to grow and enhance our property pool. The more properties we have, the more chance we have of providing you with the perfect break.

You can also use the post-holiday questionnaire as opportunity to tell us anything about your trip or the property which may have been an issue. If you do have feedback to offer about a property, it’s important to be constructive not critical. We try to encourage owners to donate even if they feel their property may not be suitable for all. It’s better for us to have a good selection of properties than not enough. However, by giving your feedback, we can place notes on the property file which can then be used to assist other families when selecting their property in the future.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and we sincerely hope you have a wonderful break.