The charity launched its £1 Per Employee appeal today (November 16).

The fundraising drive sees each member of staff asked to donate £1 at each of the charity’s member businesses.

Companies can also choose to ‘match fund’ the donations made by the employees to double the amount collected for Abta LifeLine.

The charity suggested smaller member businesses may wish to round-up their donations to the nearest £10 figure.

Abta LifeLine said that a number of trade businesses including Tui, Thomas Cook TravelTime World, Kuoni, Hays Travel and “many others” had so far pledged their support to the new campaign.

To begin raising money as part of the campaign, members can contact Trudie Drake at tdrake@abta.co.uk, or by visit www.abtalifeline.org.uk.

Abta LifeLine chairman Derek Jones said: “As a travel community, we have the opportunity to come together and make a real difference to the lives of our colleagues and their families at a time when it’s needed most.

“It is a chance for each member company to go that extra mile for their staff, the people who drive their businesses. If every member, however big or small, supported our appeal, we would raise a significant amount of funding for our colleagues in need, so we hope that as many members as possible will take part.”

In addition, Abta LifeLine also welcomed a host of new board trustees including Kathryn Darbandi, UK director or retail and customer experience at Thomas Cook, Ed Sumner, director of ancillaries, property and customer quality at Tui UK & Ireland and Carolyn Watson, finance director at Abta.