OTA launches major charity push in colleague’s memory
OTA On the Beach helped blood cancer charity DKMS reach a key milestone of 500,000 potential blood stem cell donors in the UK after hosting donor registration events at is Manchester and Cheadle offices.
The events were held in memory of colleague Andy Clague, head of business intelligence, who died in December 2017, aged 46, following a two-year battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of blood cancer.
Supported by Andy’s wife, Louise, as part of the #TeamClague appeal, the registration events helped add donors to the national register and raise awareness, encouraging others to make a difference in the fight against blood cancer.
The On the Beach donor registration events took place at Aeroworks, the online travel agent’s digital headquarters in Manchester city centre, and in its operational headquarters in Cheadle.
More than 160 employees (40% of the business’ workforce) registered to become potential blood stem cell donors at the events, including founder and CEO Simon Cooper.
On the Beach operations manager Justyna Lemanska became DKMS’s landmark 500,000th donor.
To further show commitment to the charity, any On the Beach employee who is found to be a stem cell match and chooses to donate, will be given a week off work, with full pay.
Louise Clague said: "It’s been phenomenal to see the response from On the Beach, and so rewarding to see the 500,0000th person join the donor register in the very office that Andy worked for so many years. #TeamClague would like to thank all those involved and will continue campaigning to encourage as many people as possible to join the stem cell donor register."
Simon Cooper, founder and CEO at On the Beach said: "Andy had been with On the Beach for six years, during which time he made a huge contribution to the business and became an incredibly popular member of the team who is deeply missed.
"It is an honour to have helped DKMS reach this milestone and to see our colleagues support such an important cause that is close to our heart. We of course hope that one day, our efforts will help make a meaningful – and potentially life-saving – difference to someone in need."
If you are aged between 17-55 and in general good health, you can register for a home swab kit online at dkms.org.uk. For further information on how your company could support DKMS, email [email protected]
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025