Prime minister praises hotel charity Room to Reward

The prime minister Theresa May has given recognition to a charity which rewards unsung volunteers and charity workers with free stays in hotels.

Room to Reward, which works with a network of hotels, has been announced as a recipient of the Points of Light award, which celebrates volunteering and the value it brings to the country.

Room to Reward was founded in 2015 by Nicolas Roach (pictured), chairman of Nicolas James Group, the owner of Harbour Hotels Group. The charity has provided hotel stays for 110 ‘hidden heroes' from more than 70 charities, including Macmillan Caring Locally and Mencap. One volunteer had dedicated 27 years to his local lifeboat, and another had provided over 5,000 free meals to children in the school holidays.

In a personal letter to Roach, May said: "Through Room to Reward you are also recognising the unsung volunteers across the UK who are making exceptional commitments to charities. Your innovative idea is helping to reward their hard work, while providing them with fond memories they will treasure for years to come."

Roach said that it was "an honour" to receive the award on behalf of the charity's team. "Room to Reward is the hospitality industry responding by joining hands in a co-ordinated way and providing breaks to those who most deserve it.

"We are recognising those individuals who give so much when caring for others but often go unnoticed. Thank you to all the hotel partners who are supporting the mission of turning an unsold room into something of huge value to our society."

Hotels that have worked with Room to Reward include Elite Hotels, Brook Hotels, New Forest Hotels, Harbour Hotels, Greenclose Hotels, Dalhousie Castle in Edinburgh and St Ermin's hotel in London.

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