Plastering, drilling and carpentry aren’t normally requisite skills for working in travel. However, they were on the to-do lists of 15 members of Northern Ireland’s travel trade when they donned utility belts and headed to Romania to help build a much-needed house.

In September the group of agents and suppliers volunteered in the city of Oradea with Habitat for Humanity. The charity works with a local orphanage to build houses for young people who are ready to live independently for the first time.

Alongside professional builders, electricians and plumbers, it was the team’s responsibility to construct an entire house in seven days. Thompson Travel International director Sharon Fleming was inspired to do the project after two of her children volunteered in orphanages abroad.

While she had previous experience of working in a health and social work community team, it was the first time she had visited Romania, and she had no experience of DIY.

However her nifty woodwork soon earned her the nickname “chipper”, as she explains: “I was a little afraid as I was learning to use chip saws and power tools for the first time, but I ended up helping cut most of the wood for the house.”

The team built the property for 21-year-old Andrea Fazekas, who has a learning disability and was placed in an orphanage as a child. She is now employed in a sewing shop and worked alongside the group with her care family to help build the house.

Peter McMinn, managing director of Travel Solutions, says her presence on site inspired the group.

“Meeting Andrea was a very touching and emotional moment for me, and I experienced a huge sense of pride when we handed her the keys,” he explains. “To know that our work has changed someone’s life dramatically for the better instilled in me a deep sense of humility.”

McMinn readily confesses to being a DIY novice, but got stuck in constructing wooden frames and plastering. “It was tough work but the end goal kept me motivated and determined,” he says.

Linda Henderson was another newcomer to building, and explains it was incredibly different from her role as Thomas Cook Co-operative Travel regional business manager for Northern Ireland. She says: “In my job I spend most of my time on my mobile with colleagues or discussing sales over a laptop, so it’s mentally tiring. But in Romania

we were outside all day and it was really physical work. It was a challenge, but incredibly rewarding.”

Henderson was given time off as part of Thomas Cook’s volunteering commitment, and says one of the most fulfilling aspects of the project was working with her new team.

“When we were tiling the roof we were all in a production line passing tiles, and it was like a keep fit class, as we had music playing and there was some great banter.”

Fleming said it was this teamwork that ensured she learnt lessons in Romania beyond carpentry.

“I’ve come back with a completely different attitude to life,” she explains. “I’m so used to being the boss and telling people what to do, and on site I had to learn that we were all equal and part of a team. I learnt so much about individuals and the qualities they can bring.”

Fundraising bug

The group was recruited at the start of 2014 by Northern Ireland Travel News, and owner Jonathan Adair says: “As members of the travel trade, we often visit top tourist attractions in foreign countries and it’s easy to forget that not far away many people struggle with basic human needs, including a safe, decent place to call home. We

helped to make a difference, in a very tangible way.”

In nine months the group collectively raised more than £30,000 to cover the cost of the build and their trip, and while they each did individual fundraising, the majority was raised through joint ventures, including supermarket bag-packing, coffee mornings and an afternoon tea.

A large proportion was donated by fellow travel trade employees, and the team kept their followers informed of their progress during the week, with regular updates on Facebook. They also created a video of the build, which was shown at the Northern Ireland Travel News Awards in October.

The house will be one of 80 Habitat properties on the site for young adults in need, and the volunteers were also able to create the framework for two more homes. Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland corporate relations manager Dianne Whyte says: “Young people find it difficult to get a home in Romania and many live in

multigenerational families in very small houses.

“With no support from her family, Andrea would struggle to have a home of her own, but we see time and again how a simple, decent home is a foundation to break the cycle of poverty.”

Whyte was particularly impressed by the group’s hard work. “They knew it wouldn’t be easy and wasn’t going to be like a regular travel trade trip, but they worked long hours and it was super to see them interacting with the community,” she adds.

Many of the group have already expressed an interest in continuing to support Habitat for Humanity, or encouraging colleagues to take part. McMinn says: “I would recommend getting involved as I had such a fantastic experience that will stay with me forever, and I have caught the fundraising bug.”