happykidsholidays

Including properties in UK?

2009-06-06T05:42:00.000-07:00

A couple of people have contacted me this week to offer encoragement and support for our site (which is always lovely!) They both said, however, that they wouldn't be able to come to one of our properties. The first because they couldn't face the journey, and the second because they couldn't afford it.

It's not the first time that I've heard these kinds of comments, and it's made me wonder whether it would be worthwhile trying to extend what we do to include propeties in UK as well as France, to try and support people who don't want to travel so far?

I'd really appreciate your comments on this... I'm a bit out of the loop with all things that side of the Channel and it may be that there are sufficient organisations etc in place, or there is some big obstacle I'm unaware of.. It seems to me that it can only be a good thing, but I'd like a bit of feedback first from people who really know...

Manchester airport booklet

2009-04-23T05:37:00.000-07:00

http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/manweb.nsf/alldocs/4D4CC20F97DD74008025736400407C2E/$File/Airport+Awareness+book.pdf

A couple of people have kindly brought this to my attention - a very attractive booklet which explains about your trip through an airport, which can be printed off. Although it is specifically for Manchester, it could be adapted for use at other airports too.

good things

2009-03-19T10:47:00.000-07:00

It seems that good things do come in threes...

Today someone rang me from a French organisation which helps developing associations and businesses and said they were so impressed by our idea, and our website, that they wanted to invite me to take part in a concours, designed to encourage 'young innovators' (I like that bit!). Basically this means that I have to make a presentation all about happykids to a panel of four judges, and if they're impressed they'll give us some money.. Not sure about all the details and it isn't for several months, which is a good thing as it'll give me lots of time to worry about making a presentation in French...

The second thing is that we've had our first booking for a group of adults from a residential home this week. We've already had some booking for families but this is the first group booking.

And the third one is that we've been asked to send some pictures for inclusion in an upcoming issue of Communication magazine. Communication is the National Autistic Society's excellent and very popular glossy, and, as they contacted us, hoepfully thye're intending to give us a good writeup and some excellent publicity...

So, all very positive this side of the channel, helped, it has to be said by the fact it was 26 degrees this afternoon and the trees are laden with the most beautiful blossom.

downloadable brochures

2009-02-19T01:10:00.000-08:00

Following feedback and requests, we've added 3 downloadable brochures which give further information -a general happykidsholidays one, one for adults, and one for owners.

We've been told by some owners that the whole process of joining us was too long and unwieldy, and therefore offputting, so we've rethought the process, so that we can get the same amount of information, still be sure that everyone is committed to the same aims, but at the same time not be a burden to people.

We've had a couple more requests we couldn't help with yesterday, including one for a place in the centre of a town.

Another request for a property near Disneyland

2009-02-13T08:31:00.000-08:00

We've had another enquiry today from someone wanting to take their family to Disneylad Paris. I've had no luck so far finding somewhere, and so would be grateful if anyone had any suggestions???

Property near Disneyland Paris

2009-02-10T00:40:00.000-08:00

We've had a request for suitable accomodation near Disneyland Paris. Does anyone know of anywhere, or anyone I might contact to tell them about us?

happykidsholidays is one month old!

2009-02-04T06:35:00.000-08:00

It's been less than a month since we launched happykidsholidays and already our website has received over 1000 visitors. We've been talked about and listed on several internet forums, had our details passed around dozens of local authorities and different groups and associations, had our first bookings and we're even branching out across the Atlantic with interest from an association in Canada. And we survived a week with no electricity following the storms in SW France!

It’s been a lot of hard work to get to this stage, with many people helping and offering advice, and being patient when we had teething problems – thank you to all of you, but especially to Colleen at giggleIT who has been encouraging and supportive, and without whom happykidsholidays would never have got off the ground.

I’ve received numerous emails from people in both the UK and France, telling me their stories, and offering their advice. It would obviously be inappropriate of me to publish many of these now, but I’d like this blog to be an interactive space where both holidaymakers, (potential and actual) and property owners can share their experiences and their tips in a way that is beneficial to everyone. For me, this is what happykidsholidays is all about –working together for a positive and happy outcome for everyone..