The customers of an online travel agency in the UK have together raised more than £10,000 to help grant the wishes of children with serious or life limiting illnesses.

Since late summer in 2015, online travel agency www.sunshine.co.uk has been working with Rays of Sunshine – www.raysofsunshine.org.uk – a charity which raises money to grant the wishes of seriously ill children. Customers booking holidays through the site can choose to donate any amount of their choice to the charity.

Ten percent of the customers booking holidays on sunshine.co.uk opt in to donate to the worthy cause and so far have raised £10,832.24 for Rays of Sunshine collectively. In 2016 alone, the amount raised was £10,258.69.

The money raised by sunshine.co.uk customers so far has been used to fulfil seven wishes. Some of the most recent wishes granted thanks to the sunshine.co.uk donations include that of a 15-year-old boy from Truro. Ioan was diagnosed with Renal Failure at birth, which meant he needed a kidney transplant and now needs regular medication, blood tests and hospital check-ups.

Being a big fan of the rock band Alter Bridge, Rays of Sunshine used the donations from sunshine.co.uk to organise tickets for Ioan and his family to the band’s show as the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff; after which he got to go backstage to meet and chat to the band and receive some signed merchandise.

An 8-year-old boy named Logan from Essex also had his wish to visit Windsor’s LEGOLAND granted thanks to the sunshine.co.uk donations. Logan lives with a Congenital Heart Condition after being diagnosed during his mother’s 20-week scan and has had to undergo three open heart surgeries and attend hospital check-ups and scans regularly. He got to stay in the LEGOLAND resort hotel with his family and spend two days exploring the theme park.

Chris Clarkson, Managing Director of www.sunshine.co.uk, said: “We really can’t thank our customers enough for their generous donations that have helped to grant the wishes of some very poorly children. This is such a great cause and it’s good to know that when people are doing something nice for themselves like booking a holiday, they can take a second to consider others less fortunate and contribute towards a nice experience from them.”