Limo Service in Trafalgar, IN

Trafalgar and sister brands, Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold, Costsaver and Contiki, all part of The Travel Corporation (TTC), released its third annual Impact Report. The report outlines progress against the group’s five-year sustainability strategy How We Tread Right (HWTR), which was launched in September 2020 and features 11 measurable goals developed to advance TTC’s commitment to MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®.

TTC’s 2023 progress is led by the group’s decarbonisation efforts which are critical to its net zero commitment. In 2022, TTC launched its industry-leading Carbon Fund, exemplifying Trafalgar and sister brands’ financial commitment to achieving net zero, or near zero emissions by 2050 or sooner.

2023 saw the brands reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 31%, and Scope 3 emissions by 5% from its 2019 baseline. In its first year, more than USD 1.88 million was channelled to decarbonisation projects. Carbon Fund investments include the installation of new solar panels at offices in Bondi and Alexandria, and the implementation of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) biofuel for Contiki and Trafalgar in Europe, supplied by Atlas Reizen, the latter reducing Contiki trip emissions by up to 40% where HVO biofuel is available.

In another industry-first step to address its footprint, Trafalgar and sister brands ended the purchase of branded merchandise designed to be gifted to guests and partners. Branded merchandise given out by Trafalgar and sister brands were discovered to produces 6.5 million car-driven miles worth of carbon emissions every year. Funds for branded merchandise are now allocated to nature-based climate solutions already supported by the groups TreadRight Foundation, TTC’s not-for-profit, including GreenWave (North America) and Rainforest Rescue (Australia).

“Sustainability is not just a responsibility, but an opportunity to preserve, innovate, and build a resilient world for future generations to enjoy. Our third impact report makes two things clear – we are not standing still as there remains an incredible amount of work to be done,” says Nick Lim, CEO (Asia), The Travel Corporation. “I’m immensely proud of TTC leadership for taking such bold action, particularly through prioritising investments in carbon reductions through TTC’s Carbon Fund, and how our teams have embraced this transition happening as a business and to our sector.”

Key highlights of the 2023 Impact Report:

PLANET

PEOPLE

WILDLIFE

A positive connection with local schools and the power of the Australian Golf Foundation Girls Scholarship Program are helping to reinvigorate Trafalgar Golf Club in eastern Victoria.

The Gippsland club has another batch of AGF scholars engaging in the sport on Saturday afternoons this autumn, having worked wonders in the junior space last year by collaborating with two primary schools in the area.

In particular hundreds of students at Trafalgar Primary School and Yarragon Primary School have had the benefit of the expertise of qualified Community Instructors Stewart Cluning and Di Moody.

The instructors talent-identified students from those clinics and as a result, five found their way through to the AGF scholarship program at Trafalgar.

For the little club based in a bushland setting eight kilometres out of the town, the journey to better engage with women and girls began five years ago with a government grant to buy some sets of clubs and conduct Get Into Golf Clinics.

Recently Trafalgar became a signatory to the R&A Women in Golf Charter to confirm its commitment to the cause.

One of the bonuses of the AGF programs is that they have alerted local residents to the existence of the golf club, and at the same time reminded the golf club that its somewhat remote location is an issue.

“It’s been interesting to hear people come out to the club and they say ‘I didn’t even know this was here’,” says Anne Outhred, Trafalgar’s women’s captain.

“That’s been a nice thing, to be able to showcase the club. It highlighted for us how remote we are from the community. If you’re not involved in golf, you might now know we’re there.”

Trafalgar has focused on inclusion, and a welcoming attitude. Outhred in her leadership role has railed against overly-restrictive rules on attire, telling the girls to make themselves comfortable and safe.

Cluning as the instructor was on the same page. “We taught the basics and we broke down any barriers,” he said. “They didn’t need to worry about ethnic group, social-economic group, any of that.”

Outhred says having the girls around the club gives it a different feel, and a positive vibe. When the AGF scholars are brought in to spend time with the members during Wednesday competition, the existing players embraced the beginners.

“They know where the golf club is, tick,” said Outhred. “They know how to find the place, where the facilities are. Thinking about it from an adult perspective, I had nothing to do with golf until I retired, and stepping out of the car into the clubhouse was the biggest challenge for me as a 58-year-old.

“We can’t understand how hard that is at times. We tend to be dismissive about it. We need to put in place little things that bridge that gap. Our club does that very well. I think we recognise that if we don’t, we are in trouble.”

What is completely unknown is what the longer-term impact upon a club like Trafalgar will be. But in the short-term, it has around 15 junior girl members now, compared to zero just a short few years ago.

Farther ahead, Outhred anticipates that inevitably, some of the girls will move on to other pursuits or move away from the town following school.

But she was gratified by an anecdote passed on by a Trafalgar member recently which told of an AGF scholar who had formed a stronger bond with a golfing grandparent through taking up sport, the girl suddenly blossoming socially and also finding common topics of conversation with her neighbours.

“That was a powerful message and one that you don’t always get to hear about,” she said. “A young girl finding other people in her community that she could talk to and identify with, I suppose. It’s the connection for the neighbour and the girl and the connection for the girl and the grandfather.”

For Trafalgar and Anne Outhred, they are taking on the challenge. “I’d rather be damned for trying, than damned for not,” she said.

THE AGF GIRLS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM for girls aged 9-16 enables girls around Australia to begin or continue their golfing journeys under the watchful eyes of qualified PGA Professionals or Community Instructors. Designed to foster a deep love of golf, the program nurtures strong bonds between the participants while developing invaluable life skills such as perseverance, etiquette, concentration and cooperation. Scholarship graduates may also continue to develop their golf through enrolling in courses at the PGA Learning Hub, including the PGA Academy membership pathway program to pursue a career in golf.

Information on the AGF girls scholarship program

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Charities FareShare and the Trussell Trust are facing record levels of need this winter and expect to provide support to more than 1.5 million people. To help highlight what could be the toughest winter yet, and ahead of the Tesco Winter Food Collection, Tesco and its charity partners have created an alternative to the traditional Trafalgar Square Christmas tree.

Unlike the traditional tree in Trafalgar Square, London, Tesco’s tree is located in Trafalgar Square in Scarborough, and it isn’t a Norwegian Spruce either. In fact, the 20-foot tree is made from the items that FareShare and the Trussell Trust need the most at this time of year, including tinned fruit and vegetables, long life milk and cooking sauces.

The tree aims to raise awareness of this increased need and encourage customers to donate what items they can at their local store.

The striking tree has generated much excitement right across the town with Trafalgar Square residents, the Hackness Ladies’ Choir and the Charter Mayor of Scarborough, Councillor John Ritchie, gathering together to celebrate the switch on of the Christmas tree lights.

Most importantly, when the tree is taken down, all 1,699 products used in its construction will be donated to the local FareShare hub who will pass them on to people experiencing hardship in the local community.

Tesco’s Winter Food Collection, the biggest in the UK, runs in its Express stores from 27 November to 2 December and in large stores from 30 November to 2 December. During the collection Tesco customers will be encouraged to donate long-life food to support the charities in their work. This year’s Tesco Christmas Report found that 26% of people plan to make a donation to a food bank this year.

The top ten most-needed items are:

This year will see both charities face their busiest winter yet as more people turn to them for support. The Trussell Trust is expecting to distribute more than 1 million emergency food parcels between December and February and have reported that alarmingly, 320,000 people have needed to access a food bank for the first time in the past six months.

Meanwhile, FareShare is estimating it will redistribute more than 28,000 tonnes of food this winter, the equivalent of over 68 million meals, up by more than 42% compared to last year.

Ken Murphy, Tesco Group CEO, said: “We want our alternative tree to highlight the increasing problem of food uncertainty and encourage people to donate whatever they can to our Winter Food Collection. Food banks and frontline charities need our help more than ever before.

“Over the last 10 years our generous customers have helped donate over 100 million meals to communities across the UK. Whether it’s in your local store through the Winter Food Collection or via your Clubcard points online, even the smallest donation can make a real difference to someone else’s Christmas.”Georgina Arnold, Communications Officer at Barnsley Foodbank Partnership, said: “The cost of living crisis has put immense pressure on all food banks, however thanks to the unwavering support from our dedicated Community Champions and the wonderful Tesco customers, we are able to make a tremendous impact on those facing hardship.”

Trussell Trust Chief Executive, Emma Revie, said: “The support provided by Tesco and their customers is invaluable to the food banks in our network, especially at this time of year when we anticipate that our network will be providing an emergency food parcel every eight seconds. The generous donations received are vital in ensuring food banks can meet the urgent levels of need, whilst we work towards a future where everyone can afford the essentials.”

FareShare Chief Executive, George Wright, added: “Over the last decade, Tesco has supplied more than 250m meals to FareShare, more than any other organisation in our history. As we prepare for another challenging winter ahead, the items we collect play a crucial part in our efforts to get food to the communities that need it most. If you’re able to donate just one item at your local store, you’ll be helping to provide a meal for someone facing hunger this winter.”

ENDSNotes to editorsTesco donates surplus food from its distribution network and stores through its charity and community partners, FareShare and more recently Olio. Since 2012, Tesco have donated the equivalent of more than 166m meals*. In addition, Tesco customers have donated more than 100m meals since 2012, through Food Collection events and in-store donation points. Tesco also provides financial support to further help the charities in their work.

*1 meal = 420g as per WRAP industry guidance. Based on the assumption of an average meal weighing 420g (calculated from the average of a range of typical meal weights, using data derived from Food Portion Sizes, FSA 2008). This does not imply that this many balanced meals could be made from the food surplus but illustrates what the amount of food surplus might equate to.

About the partnership between Tesco, FareShare and the Trussell TrustIn more than a decade of partnership, Tesco has donated over 100 million meals through its regular donations. Tesco is the biggest supplier of food distributed by FareShare, having donated 20 million meals of surplus food to the charity in the past year alone. Tesco and its customers are the biggest single source of food donations for the Trussell Trust’s food banks.

About the Trussell TrustThe Trussell Trust is a network of more than 1,300 food bank centres in the UK provide a minimum of three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food to people who have been referred, as well as support and advice to help people maximise their incomes and lift themselves out of poverty.

www.trusselltrust.org

About FareShareFareShare is the UK’s biggest charity fighting hunger and food waste. We take good-to-eat surplus food from across the food industry, sort it in our regional warehouses across the UK, and pass it onto a network of nearly 8,500 charities and community groups.

www.fareshare.org.uk