British Airways wins award for worldwide charity support

British Airways has been given a major award for the support it provides to charities around the world. The airline was one of three companies to be given a Word Tourism Award at a ceremony at the World Travel Market, in Excel, East London before a specially invited audience.

British Airways received the award in recognition of its annual investment of over £5m to support more than 50 charities and community programmes, through free flights, cargo space and expert advice, around the world as well as in the UK.

The World Tourism Awards, celebrating its 14th Anniversary, is co-sponsored by American Express, Corinthia Hotels, the International Herald Tribune and Reed Travel Exhibitions to recognise 'the extraordinary initiatives by individuals, companies, organisations, destinations and attractions for outstanding accomplishments in the travel industry'.

Mary Barry, British Airways' community investment manager, said: "This award belongs to the thousands of generous British Airways customers and colleagues who dig deep into their own pockets or who give up valuable time to help us support scores of charities around the world.

"Without their generosity we would not be able to provide the much-needed support to our 'Flying Start' partnership with Comic Relief that does incredible work to change the lives of so many vulnerable and disadvantaged people.

"Nor could we support the scores of other charities we work with or provide emergency relief flights, like the famine aid flight we gave free to East Africa last week, supported by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge."

She added: "We are incredibly grateful for the recognition of the part played by British Airways customers and colleagues, and we will continue to support those charities that work so hard to make a difference in the lives of so many people."

Among the charities supported by British Airways are the Acts of Hope Charitable Trust, which offers education and healthcare to poor and underprivileged children in Bangalore; Chain of Hope UK, a children's heart surgery charity which provides underprivileged children suffering from life-threatening heart disease with medical treatment in the UK and the Mukuru Promotion Centre, which runs vocational programmes for children and young people in the vast Nairobi slum of Mukuru, which is home to over 400,000 people.