Travel Chapter and JKR Announce ‘Keys for Key Workers’

If it weren't for essential workers, society would come to a grinding halt. That's why in the face of a pandemic, they deserve a little more than just a simple thank-you or an eyeball handshake. And as a bonus to all of the raises we're sure those critical workers will get in coming years, Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR) and Travel Chapter created an initiative to recognize the folks who continue to sacrifice. 

If you're in the UK, nominate the teachers, supermarket employees, nurses, doctors, and other essential workers you know and love to receive a free holiday stay in a vacation home. Winners will receive a branded box with their stay information on an enclosed letterhead.

All of the branded materials come courtesy of design agency JKR

Keys for Key Workers is a new initiative designed to say thank you to key workers by giving away free stays at homes across the UK. Travel Chapter, a holiday letting company (best known for flagship brand holidaycottages.co.uk), and Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR), a global design-led creative company, developed the initiative to acknowledge the sacrifices so many have made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Building on the momentum of goodwill movements like “clap for carers,” the initiative calls on members of the public to nominate the UK’s nurses, teachers, supermarket workers, and any other key workers deserving of a holiday.

“Keys For Key Workers is about saying thank you and giving back to those who have kept us going during CV-19. We can’t wait to share the incredible stories of these frontline heroes and give them a well-deserved break,” said James Morris, Founder of Travel Chapter. Travel Chapter’s guest services staff will work with winners to ensure that accommodations and timings are suitable for each key worker.

To reflect the moment, the campaign graphics are a heartfelt homage to the thousands of hand-made posters displayed in windows all over the country during the pandemic in support of key workers." Travel Chapter and JKR are hopeful that even more travel brands and businesses will join forces in donating time at holiday homes to keep the goodwill going for as many key workers as possible.

A social media campaign, also launching today, is aimed to inspire individuals to nominate deserving key workers in their life. The campaign focuses on the first 50 key workers, but as an ongoing initiative, Keys for Key Workers has the potential to give away hundreds of free stays. “This initiative started from one simple goal: to give those who most deserve it the opportunity to get away, whether that beach house-house, a country cottage or a cabin in the forest,” said Ivan Mato, Creative Director at JKR. “In partnership with The School of Communication Arts 2.0, we were able to create a campaign that illustrates the vibrant joy and respite we hope winners will feel on their well-deserved breaks.