Seventeen-year-old Chloe, who had worked part-time at the South Shields agency since January, died with her boyfriend Liam Curry, 19, in the suicide bombing at the Manchester Arena on May 22, which killed 22 people.
Westoe Travel director Graeme Brett told TTG the agency was “incredibly grateful” for the compassion that the family-run business had been shown by industry members after receiving goodwill messages “from Guernsey to the north of Scotland”.
“Our industry is just incredible and the kindness we’ve had has been truly amazing,” he said.
Brett described how despite the tragedy, Westoe had decided to remain open during the week because the closely knit team “wanted to be together”.
He explained how the agency, which is a TTG Top 50 Travel Agency in the north-east, had received messages of support from all corners of the industry, from its consortium The Advantage Travel Partnership to “travel people we have never met”.
Brett also praised the efforts of Manchester-based homeworker Ken Garrity, of Ken Garrity Travel, and Pole Travel director Jill Waite, for launching a fundraising campaign for the Rutherford and Curry families, which has so far raised more than £1,300.
Brett further thanked Paul Nolan of STA Travel, who collected flowers, pictures of Chloe and her newly printed Westoe business cards to lay among tributes at an official memorial in Manchester.
Remembering Chloe, who was due to begin her full-time apprenticeship with Westoe later this month, Brett said he could tell “straight away” that she was an ideal fit for the team and would often be waiting outside for the agency to open.
“We would have to come in early as she would be there,” added Brett. “She was so hardworking and determined and she and Liam were just made for each other. She just wanted to travel everywhere and we loved her so much.”
The Westoe team has compiled the messages from the trade into a book, to be given to Chloe and Liam’s families, and invited past colleagues and friends to attend a local memorial service last weekend, where pink and blue balloons were released.
Westoe will also be hosting a raffle to raise money for the families with donations offered by travel firms.
