When Derby mum and keen traveller Jenny Nelson decided to turn her passion into a business, she knew she wanted it to be more than just selling holidays.
Her aim was build a sustainable business to give her more flexibility around her family, and help others at the same time. That idea has become what she calls "Transforming Lives Through Travel."
For Jenny, the phrase has two meanings. The first is the impact travel itself can have, whether that's a long-awaited family holiday, a honeymoon, a bucket-list adventure or simply precious time away together. The second is the wider good she wants her business to do.
Charity and community links
Closer to home, she has begun building relationships with Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity and her local football club, Mickleover FC.
Further afield, she supports Freddie's Wish, a charity particularly close to her heart, and Sight for Surrey, a connection that began through her training for the 2027 London Marathon.
She is also connecting with Derby's wider business network, with the aim of supporting and collaborating with other independent businesses wherever she can.
Rather than one-off campaigns, Jenny hopes these relationships will grow as her business does.
She stated:
"I'm still at the beginning, but I know what I want to build: something personal, something sustainable and something that has a positive impact. For me, that is what Transforming Lives Through Travel really means."
How the giving works
When a holiday is booked through one of Jenny's partner charities, she donates 10% of her commission on that booking to the charity that referred it.
Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity: a local charity that is supporting local hospitals, patients, families, and NHS staff. Jenny donates 10% of her commission on bookings referred by the charity.
Freddie's Wish: Jenny lost her 16-year-old sister when she was just 10, so she understands the lasting impact losing a child has on a whole family.
It's one of the reasons she feels so strongly about supporting the charity, which provides bereavement counselling to families and lifesaving first aid training. Freddie's Wish receives 10% of Jenny's commission on bookings it refers.
Sight for Surrey: a relationship that began through Jenny's London Marathon journey. The charity, which supports people living with sight and hearing loss, receives 10% of Jenny's commission on bookings it refers.
Derby's small-business community: Jenny is exploring ways to connect, collaborate with and support other independent Derby businesses.
Mickleover FC: supporting Jenny's local football club through sponsorship and community involvement.
