At Distant Journeys, we are passionate about travel and aim to take you far beyond expectations, not only through unforgettable experiences, but through the positive impact we create together. We believe meaningful journeys go hand in hand with supporting local communities, protecting cultural heritage and giving back, both here in the UK and in the destinations we explore. Meaningful travel isn’t just about where you go – it’s about the difference you can make along the way.
Our flagship charity partners
We are passionate about supporting charities and initiatives, both locally and overseas. Giving back is important to our team, and it's equally important to our business.
While our team regularly gives their time and raises funds for good causes, we also support charities financially as a business, helping organisations continue the valuable work they do in communities around the world.
For every passenger that travels with us, Distant Journeys donates £2 to causes that make a real difference. 50% of the funds raised will support our flagship charity, Bebe’s Hive – a local charity close to our hearts, set up in loving memory of Bebe King, one of the children who tragically lost their lives in the Southport attacks. Bebe’s Hive provides creative, play-based grief support for children and their families.
The remaining funds will go towards community projects in the destinations we visit, supporting the people and places that make our journeys so special. These include the JAL Trust (Joy and Light) in Pondicherry, India, which supports vulnerable members of society through projects such as AYUSH Old-Age Home, providing shelter, food and clothing to lone senior citizens, and SHINE Children’s Home, offering a safe space for children with cancer.
Overseas community projects
Supporting the communities we visit has always been at the heart of Distant Journeys. Across our worldwide tours, we work closely with local people and businesses, helping to sustain traditional crafts, protect local wildlife and create opportunities for genuine cultural exchange – from village folk performances to storytelling and handmade souvenirs.
India
In India, we visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar’s remarkable community kitchens, where up to 20,000 meals a day are prepared by volunteers to feed those in need.
Sri Lanka
We are proud to include visits to projects that make a real difference. In Sri Lanka, we support the Elephant Transit Home, which cares for orphaned baby elephants with the goal of releasing them back into the wild.
Borneo
On our Very Best of Borneo tour, we visit Kiau Village, a community-led tourism initiative run by the indigenous Kadazan-Dusun people. Guided walks provide an opportunity to learn about local traditions and daily life and support livelihoods.
Local community impact
Supporting the community
Supporting our local community is woven into everyday office life, whether through food donation drives for Ormskirk Food Bank or our much-loved office tuck shop, where a mid-afternoon treat helps us fund causes close to home.
Volunteering
We work with Woodlands Animal Sanctuary, a local charity that rescues abandoned, injured and mistreated animals, including cats, goats, donkeys and horses, providing refuge, rehabilitation and rehoming. Our team takes part in volunteering days there and enjoys helping to care of animals in need.
Events
Fundraising and community events are a regular feature in our team calendar. To name just a few, we come together for Macmillan’s annual Coffee Morning and take part in Christmas Jumper Day each December, raising funds for Save the Children.
Fundraising
Our team is proud to support good causes through fundraising efforts throughout the year. Recently, a group of colleagues took on Snowdon via the Llanberis Path, raising an impressive £1,800 for Bebe’s Hive. Our much-loved office tuck shop also raised £105 for Macmillan Cancer Support, showing how even the smallest contributions can make a difference.
Sustainability steps
We also know that change starts at home, and we’ve made a range of changes in our office and across our operations to ensure we are sustainable wherever possible. A few of our recent successful initiatives include:
Electronic documentation
We have moved away from printed customer confirmations sent by post and now work predominantly digitally. By investing in intuitive, secure systems, customers can access their travel documents quickly and easily online. This approach helps reduce paper use and unnecessary postage, while ensuring the experience remains simple, convenient and reassuring for our travellers.
Food waste bins
We have introduced clearly labelled waste and food-waste bins in our office to make responsible disposal simple and accessible for everyone. By separating recycling, general waste and food waste throughout the building, we reduce the amount sent to landfill and support more sustainable waste processing.
Our policies and people
We regularly review our policies to ensure they reflect both our values and the evolving needs of our team. Long-established commitments, including our Animal Welfare and Modern Slavery policies, while we also support family friendly working practices and have recently introduced Mental Health First Aiders within our offices.
