Frequently Asked Questions

Where does ABOAB get its funding?

We have relied on people fundraising for us through a range of activities and events such as sponsored runs, bike rides, coffee mornings, craft sales, ceilidhs, and local church collections. We sometimes receive direct donations from people who simply heard about us and thought it was such a great idea. We’re now starting to submit applications to community funds and larger grant-making bodies to help us grow and offer more holidays to more people living with terminal illness.

How can I fundraise for ABOAB?

You can do anything you wish, however big or small! Please contact us on fundraising@abitofabreak.com and we will send you our logo, a template for your sponsor form, posters, and other support you might need. We will happily feature your event/activities in our regular newsletter and website and post it on our Facebook page too. Good luck and thank you.

Can I join with others to help fundraise for ABOAB?

Yes! There are local ‘ABOAB supporter groups’ in the Worth Valley and Liverpool and we hope to have a new group forming in Ilkley too. Contact us by email on fundraising@abitofabreak.com and we will put you in touch with the relevant person.

I’ve heard about Project Lighthouse. How can I get involved?

If you enjoy cycling, love the coast, and like a challenge, Project Lighthouse is for you. It’s Matthew Sturgeon’s adventure and his plan is to cycle around the entire coast of mainland Britain whilst visiting and blogging all 170 lighthouses! The journey is being broken into sections so anyone and everyone can join in the fun. If you’d like to be involved, contact Matthew on 07939 295230 or email him at matthewsturgeon@icloud.com

How do I pay my donation to ABOAB?

You can pay money straight into our bank account (A Bit of a Break, 30-98-97 68736360) or through our JustGiving page https://www.justgiving.com/abitofabreak  Please send us an email to tell us that you’ve made a payment (fundraising@abitofabreak.com) so that we know who you are and can send you a thank you!

How do I offer my holiday property into your scheme?

We’re always so delighted to hear of possible new properties! There are a few things to consider, and these are set out in the questions and answers below.

What types of properties do you need?

We welcome all types of holiday properties – cottages, bungalows, apartments, lodges, and caravans – and properties are offered to our patients on a self-catering basis. It helps if properties are commercially let as this gives a degree of quality assurance and a sense that safety standards will be in place.

Does the location of the property matter?

Coastal, lake/river or rural locations are popular, but all locations are welcome. We have properties in the Lake District, on the Northumberland and Yorkshire coasts, Bronte Country, the Yorkshire Dales, and Blackpool. We’re especially looking for seaside properties in North Wales for people referred from the Liverpool area and also properties in Derbyshire and the Peak District.

What about access?

Access issues may be important to some of our guests so properties with easy or level access at the front door, a toilet on the ground floor and even better, a ground floor bedroom and bathroom with walk-in shower/wet-room, are always welcomed. Accessible parking for easy drop-off of passengers and luggage is also helpful.

Our holiday property is used only by family & friends. Will that work?

Please think about the logistics of the property being used by strangers. Are your personal belongings difficult to remove or hide away? Also, our guests may not be enjoying optimum health so might want to sit and relax in the property all day or stay in bed longer than usual. Is the lounge furniture and bed comfortable enough for this? Finally, some of our guests have compromised mobility. Is the property and garden safe for people who may be frail on their feet?

Who does the cleaning?

We ask that properties are fully clean, and beds all made up so that guests don’t have the worry of these jobs on arrival or before their departure. A high standard of cleanliness really matters as our guests may be immuno-compromised or more prone to infection. So, do you have a reliable cleaning service and laundry facility for change-over day?

Is my property suitable?

We hope so! Consider the list below of the simple headings from our Property Checklist. This will help you think about whether you’re likely to meet our safety requirements.

I think my property is suitable. What should I do?
Please email us on properties@abitofabreak.com and we will send you our full Property Checklist and Property Information Sheet to complete and return to us. We will also provide our direct phone number for you to contact us to talk about any areas of uncertainty if you are unsure.

How soon will ABOAB start using our property?
As soon as we’ve assured ourselves that your property is suitable, we’ll add it straight into our scheme and start looking for suitable matches with those on our waiting list and again when someone is newly referred.  We’ll keep checking your on-line availability ourselves and if we see an un-filled week on the horizon, we’ll contact you about it if we have someone suitable on our waiting list. We also ask you to let us know if you have an un-booked week ahead that we might use, and this can be at just 3- or 4-weeks’ notice or several months away.

What about the formalities?
At ABOAB we see ourselves as an introducer and the agreement for the booking is between you and the guests. We ask property owners (or their agency) to provide a copy of standard booking conditions for our records which we send to guests on your behalf at the time any booking is confirmed. We will pay your agreed ‘overheads charge’ for cleaning, laundry, and utilities costs at the time of booking confirmation, and even if our guests have to cancel, you keep the payment by way of a thank you.

What are the benefits to me offering a week in my holiday property to ABOAB?

The feedback we receive from guests about the benefits of a holiday while living with a terminal illness is hugely gratifying. As a property owner, be assured that your generosity in gifting a holiday will be massively appreciated. We pay a fee to cover your cleaning, laundry and utility bills associated with the break to help ease costs. We hope you’ll put A Bit of a Break’s logo on your website and social media, to tell others what you’re doing. We’ll similarly feature you on our platforms and give you a shout-out and thank-you as often as we can.

Who can make referrals?

We are unable to accept self-referrals. A referral must be made by one of our nominated referral partners. These are health and care professionals/services based in North and West Yorkshire, Manchester and Liverpool which includes:

 Who can be referred to ABOAB?

People referred to us must be receiving palliative care and the services, care or support of one of the organisations above.

Why do you only take referrals in North and West Yorkshire, Manchester and Liverpool?

We have a limited number of properties available to us and don’t want people to be disappointed. Angela, our founder, lived in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, from where we now operate. Her original family home was in Liverpool, and we now also accept referrals from the Liverpool area.

 How can someone be referred?

Referral partners can find our application form here.