Ocean Holidays’ “Ocean’s 13” to Run Nearly 200KM in Zambia for Play It Forward Charity

Ocean Holidays has announced that a 13-strong team of employees, including co-founders Harry and George Hastings, will travel to Zambia this July to take on a remarkable challenge: running a combined 190.5KM — the equivalent distance from the company’s Romford headquarters to the English Channel — or in this case, from Zimbabwe to Zambia over the breath-taking Victoria Falls.

The team, known as Ocean’s 13, is aiming to raise £10,000 for Play It Forward, a Zambian charity founded by Oliver Brendon, CEO of long-standing Ocean Holidays partner Attraction Tickets. The organisation empowers young people in Livingstone through sport, education, nutrition, and sexual health awareness — with a focus on empowering girls and sustainable community impact. Its professional football club is the only team known to pay both men and women equally.

“This challenge is about far more than distance — it’s about shared values, meaningful partnerships, and doing the right thing,” said Harry Hastings, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Ocean Holidays. “Play It Forward is an incredible organisation making real, lasting change in Livingstone, and we’re proud to support them. This run is our way of turning belief into action.”

The initiative is part of Ocean Holidays’ broader mission to make travel the best it can be by being a company that cares — about their customers, team, partners, and communities. The business has long championed accessible, inclusive travel, helping more families experience holidays regardless of physical or cognitive barriers. Supporting Play It Forward is a natural extension of this ethos: travel as a force for good, both at home and abroad.

The run also marks a symbolic moment in Ocean Holidays’ 15-year+ relationship with Attraction Tickets Ltd and its trade brand DoSomethingDifferent.com. Both companies have grown organically and are leading entrepreneurial businesses in the UK travel industry, now sharing a renewed sense of purpose following Attraction Tickets’ recent transition to employee ownership.

Ocean Holidays invites its customers, partners, and the wider travel industry to support the team’s fundraising efforts and help reach the £10,000 target. Every pound donated directly supports Play It Forward’s mission to empower the next generation in Zambia.

To donate or learn more, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/oceans13