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Family holidays for single parents
The National Council of One Parent Families, 255 Kentish Town Road, London NW5 2LX (0171 428 5400) produces a free booklet that includes many of the organisations below.
HELP, Holiday Endeavour for Lone Parents, 57 Owston Road, Carcroft, Doncaster DN6 8DA (01302 728791), finds holidays for singleparent families in 29 centres in the UK (Haven, Butlins, Pontins, British Holidays) and Spain (Beachclub). With a typical discount of 40 per cent, a family of seven can spend a week selfcatering at a Haven centre for as little as Optional membership is a year. Send a 9in x 6in sae and a 31p stamp for further details.
Gingerbread, 1617 Clerkenwell Close, London EC1R 0AA (0171 336 8183), arranges loneparent holidays for its members once or twice a year. A week in Rhyl, north Wales, at the end of this month will cost from per person depending on standard of accommodation. Membership varies, but this year's fee is
HOP, Holidays for One Parent Families, 51 Hampshire Road, Droylsden, Manchester M43 7PH (0161 370 0337), specialises in UK discount holidays with Haven and Butlins (as much as 30 per cent off on the latter). Membership a year (optional). Send two first or secondclass stamps for further information.
Care for the Family, Garth House, Leon Avenue, Cardiff CF4 7RG (01222 810800), subsidises and produces a brochure on lowcost adventure holidays (canoeing, abseiling, rock climbing) in the UK for single parents and their families. Three of this year's holidays are fully booked, so an extra week has been laid on (August 915) at the Tynddol Challenge Centre, Cumystwyth, midWales; full board from a week for adults, a week for children, aged eight to 15. Care for the Family is a national charity "dedicated to promoting family values".
The Holiday Care Service provides a free information sheet on holidays for oneparent families. Send in stamps to Second Floor, Imperial Buildings, Victoria Road, Horley, Surrey RH6 7PZ.
One Parent Family Holidays, Kildonan Courtyard, Barrhill, Girvan, South Ayrshire, Scotland KA26 0PS (01465 821288 or 01776 889500), acts as an inclusive tour operator specialising in singleparent holidays abroad for all budgets. Its most popular destination is a camping/caravan site on an island on the River Loire; a fortnight's selfcatering costs from for an adult, for a child. Individuals are advised of specific holiday options when they send details of requirements; sae with all inquiries.
The Family Holiday Association, 16 Mortimer Street, London W1N 7RD, is a charity that helps provide holidays for lowincome families, after referral from a social worker, doctor, or other welfare agency.
Many single parents have found that swapping homes with another family in the United Kingdom or abroad can lead to a relaxing break. Holiday companies indicate in their brochures which homes are suitable for children. Swappers will usually have good suggestions on local activities and entertainment for children and contacts for babysitting.
Most homeswapping organisations charge an annual fee for listing in a directory; members then search for suitable properties and contact owners directly. UK organisations include Home Base Holidays (0181 886 8752), a member of the International Home Exchange Association; per year for a listing in the directory, published three times a year; including Internet listing as well. More than 2,500 listings, mostly in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
HomeLink International (01344 842 642): five directories published each year. About 10,000 listed members, strong in the US and Australia; plus Europe, Canada, New Zealand.
Intervac (01225 892 208): per year; five directories published each year. About 10,000 members, mainly in North America and Europe.
Worldwide Home Exchange Club (0171 823 9937): per year, one directory and one supplement published each year. About 1,250 members in North America, Western Europe, Australasia.
There are plenty of cheap, often centrally located, rooms and flats around the country in the form of student accommodation.
Universities and colleges offer the accommodation b b or full board to boost revenue during vacations. Rooms are usually available from June to September and,[url=http://www.sport.fr/business/louisvuitton.html]sac louis vuitton[/url], in some cities, around Easter and Christmas.
You can stay in a room in the tower of Durham Castle, for example. Dating from 1072, it now forms part of University College (bookings on 0191 374 3454). Rooms, single or twin, cost per person. St Andrews (01334 462000) has selfcatering flats along the seafront; per week, sleeping up to six.
Further information from British Universities Accommodation Consortium (BUAC) (0115 950 4571), which groups 67 universities offering 120,000 rooms.
These are excellent for single parents, who can pursue their own interests in likeminded company while their children can let off steam out of earshot.
Millfield Holiday Village (01458 445823), based at the Somerset public school, offers more than 300 courses from blues guitar to line dancing; open to all ages from five upwards (unaccompanied children over the age of eight welcome). A week costs per adult, up to per child (underthrees free). For further ideas, try Activity Breaks 1998 (Jarrold, including a voucher off any of the breaks. Also the free brochure Activity Wales (01222 475226).
If you need a total break from your children, there are organisations that will take them away for supervised activity holidays. Among them are Superchoice Adventure (01273 691100); Camp Beaumont (0171 724 2233); and Adventure and Computer Holidays (01306 881299).