1891
Established
29
Schools in 2024
368
Holidays in 2024
Welcome to Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre
Important Update: Our Journey Toward a Brighter Future
Since 1891, Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre has been dedicated to providing life-changing seaside holidays for disadvantaged children across Derbyshire. These holidays are more than just a break—they bring joy, build confidence, and create lifelong memories for children who need them most.
As we look ahead to the future, we’ve made the difficult but necessary decision to pause our holiday service during the 2025 season. This pause will allow us to undertake a thorough strategy review to ensure that we can continue to meet the needs of Derbyshire’s children for years to come.
A Message from Our Trustees
Outgoing Chair of Trustees, Alan Grimadell, shared:
“The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre has been going since 1891, and the need to provide a seaside holiday for in-need Derbyshire children is as strong today as it was then.
As a long-running charity, we remain true to our core purpose. We know that providing a holiday in our centre means so much more to the children who attend than just a week’s break. It gives them confidence and helps forge friendships and bonds. Many children who attended our centre have never forgotten the feeling of love and support it gave them.
But times have changed since 1891, and our trustees have decided it is necessary to pause our holidays in 2025 while we fully review our entire operation, with the aim of coming back better, stronger, and more resilient to face future challenges.”
Incoming Chair of Trustees, Mike Copestake, added:
“We temporarily closed for two years in the late 1980s to transition from local authority funding to being fully self-supporting. Now, we face a similar challenge to meet rising costs and ensure we continue to provide much-needed holidays in 2026 and beyond.
Trustees are already hard at work redefining our vision to continue ‘to inspire Derbyshire’s children to flourish,’ while staying true to our values of being caring, aspirational, passionate, encouraging, and inclusive.
As we go forward, the public’s support and encouragement of the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre is always appreciated.”
How You Can Help
While our holidays are paused in 2025, your support remains vital to our mission. Here’s how you can help:
While our holidays are paused in 2025, your support remains vital to our mission. Here’s how you can help:
- – Stay Connected: Follow our journey as we plan for a brighter future.
- – Spread the Word: Share our mission and story to help us raise awareness.
- – Support Our Campaigns: Look out for our Comeback Appeal 2026 and other fundraising efforts as we prepare to return stronger than ever.
- – Donate using either our ‘Go Fund Me‘ or ‘Just Giving‘ appeal pages– Share your story: Have you or a close family member visited our Centre for a holiday? Share your story with us – we would love to hear from you! Email us [email protected]– Volunteer: We are always looking for help with fundraising. Chat with us about how you can get involved. Email: [email protected]– Cycle or Walk for us – SkegVegas 2025 Saturday 17th May – put the date in your diary and watch this space for further sign up information.
Thank you for standing with us as we take this important step toward building a stronger future for Derbyshire’s children. Together, we can continue to make a lasting difference in their lives.
Facebook Posts
Join Us in Making a Difference: The Comeback Appeal 2026
For over 130 years, we’ve been offering children the chance to create cherished memories, build confidence, and enjoy the magic of a seaside break. These holidays provide so much more than fun—they offer a vital boost to the well-being of children who need it most. But rising costs have been no secret and so we have taken the decision to pause holidays at our centre in 2025, with the aim of coming back bigger and stronger in 2026.
So the goal of our 'Comeback Appeal' is to raise £150,000 to bring back our life-changing holidays to disadvantaged children in Derbyshire and spread joy and hope to even more children in 2026.
This year, we need your help to make this possible. By contributing to The Comeback Appeal, you’ll be helping us bring sunshine back into the lives of children who might not otherwise experience a holiday.
Every donation, big or small, brings us closer to giving these children the gift of happiness, hope, and unforgettable memories.
Thank you in advance for your generosity and support for this cause that means so much to all of us. Together, we can make 2026 a year to remember for Derbyshire’s children.
Let’s make the comeback stronger than ever.
Contact Us Today
Some of Our Valued Supporters
Big Shoutout to Derby Homes. Phil and Clive have been fixing Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre now for 15 years, here in all weathers and one of them retired!!!! Thank you boys it means a lot! ... See MoreSee Less
1 CommentComment on Facebook
Thank you Phil and Clive. Such fond memories of the home in the late 40s early 50s with Mac and Jim , matron and grandad I will be glad grateful to them xxx
Photos from Ali Byerley's post ... See MoreSee Less
1 CommentComment on Facebook
What a wonderful thing to do Skegness residents are brilliant supporters of our charity. Taurus Scaffoldings gesture of providing free scaffolding is amazing. Thank you Christian Bfrayne you’re a kind generous person. It also means Phil and Clive can work safely doing their work and free time. Well done all of you. Terry
Ever thought about becoming a charity trustee?
We’re looking for passionate and enthusiastic individuals to join the Board of Trustees at Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre (DCHC).
🌊 For over 130 years, we’ve provided life-changing seaside holidays for children in Derbyshire who face challenging circumstances.
Our vision? A world where every child in Derbyshire can flourish and succeed.
Could this be you?
We’re particularly keen to diversify our board and would love to hear from people who:
✅ Are committed to removing barriers for disadvantaged children
✅ Have skills in graphic design, marketing, or bid writing
✅ Can bring fresh thinking to help us grow
✅ Make decisions with integrity and impact
✅ Have experience as a charity trustee or governor (desirable but not essential)
What’s involved?
🔹 Attend six board meetings a year (held in Derby)
🔹 Review papers & contribute to discussions
🔹 Respond to occasional emails from the CEO/Chair
🔹 Take an active interest in our mission
🔹 Undergo standard recruitment & DBS checks
Interested?
Send a short expression of interest to [email protected] by Monday 17th March—we’d love to hear from you!
💙 Join us in transforming young lives—one holiday at a time. #CharityTrustee #Volunteering #DCHC #MakeADifference #Derbyshire ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre has been paid £68.08 this week thanks to our community shopping online! A huge thank you to everyone who supports us. Want to get involved? Sign up to easyfundraising so your online shopping at your favourite retailers turns into much-needed funding for us. It'll take you two minutes to sign up: ... See MoreSee Less
You shop. Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre gets money. For free.
join.easyfundraising.org.uk
Help us when you shop with 7,000+ brands. Join now.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
🙋🙋♀️🙋♂️Looking for an amazing volunteer opportunity in 2025?
Our friends at Derby Kids’ Camp are already 75% full for this year’s volunteer team! If you’re enthusiastic, ready to get stuck in, and want to make a real difference for local children, this could be for you.
Find out more and apply here 👉 derbykidscamp.co.uk/volunteer-application-pack/
Don’t miss out—places are filling fast! ... See MoreSee Less
Volunteer Application Pack
derbykidscamp.co.uk
DKC Volunteer Application Pack #DKC2025 Dates of DKC 2025 We’re recruiting for an amazing team of volunteers to help local children have an incredible holiday this summer! We'll be running 5 weeks o...0 CommentsComment on Facebook
📢 Calling All Supporters! ⚽️🏆
Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre (DCHC) needs your help with a charity bucket collection at Pride Park before the Derby County home game v Blackburn Rovers! 🖤⚪
📅 Date: Saturday 8th March
⏰ Time: 1:00 PM – Kick-off (3:00 PM)
📍 Location: Outside Derby County FC, Pride Park
We’re looking for volunteers to shake a bucket or collecting tin and help raise vital funds to give local children the chance to experience a holiday by the sea when we open again in 2026. Many of you may have stayed at our 'Skeggy home' as kids—now’s your chance to give back and help the next generation!
💙 Every penny collected makes a difference. Let’s show the Rams community what Chaddesden Park Social Club can do!
Interested? Comment below or message us to get involved! 🙌 #DCHC #CharityCollection #GiveBack #PridePark #DCFC ... See MoreSee Less
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
We will be there; the more the merrier as we look to raise enough funds for our comeback appeal; £150,000 is a big sum to raise and I feel sure that the generosity of the Derby County Football supporters will help us reach our goal.
Chaddesden Park Social Club