Room to Reward are delighted to announce Kellie Rixon MBE and Robert Richardson, Chair and CEO of the Institute of Hospitality, as the latest figures to join the charity as Ambassadors. The Institute have long been supporters of the initiative, which utilises unsold hotel rooms to enable charities and community groups to give ‘thank you’ breaks to their most outstanding volunteers.

“I am delighted to become an Ambassador for this brilliant charity,” said Mr. Richardson. “I first came across Room to Reward when I signed up to the scheme as GM of The Grand in Folkestone. It’s a wonderful way of thanking those who do so much for others and I look forward to being part of the team.”

Kellie Rixon took over as Chair of the Institute in September 2020. “Room to Reward is a wonderful way for hoteliers to use a couple of empty rooms to create memorable experiences for some truly deserving people,” she said. “I encourage all of our members to find out more and get involved.”

Founded in 2015, Room to Reward now works with over 500 hotels throughout the U.K, including the likes of Jurys Inn, Iconic Luxury Hotels, Bespoke Hotels, Splendid Hospitality Group and Harbour Hotels. After COVID-19 brought a halt to much of their operations, the charity relaunched in June with a special campaign to recognise volunteers who had stepped up during the pandemic.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Kellie and Robert as Ambassadors,” said Adam Terpening, Director of Room to Reward. “We have been fortunate to benefit from the wonderful support of the Institute for a number of years and their endorsement is a huge boost for us on our journey to recognise and say ‘thank you’ to more Hidden Heroes.”

To find out more about the hotels involved with Room to Reward and some of the 1000+ volunteers granted a break through the initiative, visit: www.roomtoreward.org.

To find out more about the Institute of Hospitality, visit: https://www.instituteofhospitality.org/