Children go on special flight with Santa
Families from two charities flew with Santa from Bristol Airport.
Aviation businesses joined forces to put on a Christmas party and flight with Santa for families needing hospice care and children with upper limb differences. The event was organised by Airbus and Bristol Airport and they have been supported by ACC Charter and Eastern Airways who run the charter flights for Airbus employees to connect them to other Airbus facilities.
Families from Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) and families from the charity Reach that helps children with upper limb differences went on a flight with Santa on Friday.
The day was designed to generate special memories for the children and their families, with a party in the airport with a choir and a magician, then a flight with Santa on board, and plenty of games and entertainment on the way.
It was a special surprise for Ben Bayliss from Abbeymead, Gloucester who will turn 7 on Christmas Eve. He is a plane and train fan and did not know he would be flying with Santa until the morning of the trip. Ben said; “I liked meeting Santa and going into the cockpit of the plane but I was sad to miss a day of school.”
Elizabeth Tanner from Stockwood, Bristol is two years and seven months old and has a life-limiting condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. The Tanner family visit CHSW’s Charlton Farm for respite care, and Elizabeth brought her mum, dad, twin sister Emily and little brother Ben along for the day. Elizabeth’s mum Jo Tanner said; “The girls loved it especially the snow ball fight and meeting Santa. They have always wanted to go on a plane and now they have! The organisers did a brilliant job.”
Airbus employees volunteering on the day got to meet the families and the hospices that they have been fundraising for through Airbus’ partnership with Hospice UK.
