1891
Established
29
Schools in 2024
368
Holidays in 2024
Welcome to Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre
Since 1891, Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre has given children facing challenging circumstances in their daily lives, the chance to experience something many of us take for granted – a holiday by the sea. We are a small but determined Derbyshire charity with a big impact, built on the belief that every child deserves joy, adventure, and memories to cherish.
Why we do what we do
Too many children in Derbyshire are growing up in poverty or difficult circumstances. Many will never enjoy a holiday, feel sand between their toes, or experience carefree time away from daily struggles. These missed opportunities don’t just take away fun – they limit confidence, wellbeing, and hope for the future.
What we do about it
We provide free, fully supported seaside holidays at our centre in Skegness. Here, children are cared for by our dedicated staff and volunteers, enjoy good food, laughter, trips to the beach, and activities that nurture their confidence, resilience, and friendships. These holidays give children a break from challenges at home and the chance to return happier, more confident, and ready to thrive.
Why we’re needed
For many children, this is their very first holiday. The difference is lasting – they come home with memories, smiles, and a sense that they matter. With rising child poverty, our work is more needed now than ever.
How you can help change a child’s life
Donate – just £384 funds a holiday for one child. You can do this by using either our ‘Go Fund Me‘ or ‘Just Giving‘ appeal pages,
Fundraise – take on a challenge, hold an event, or join one of our campaigns.
Volunteer – give your time at our centre or support us locally. Email: [email protected]
Partner with us – schools, businesses, and community groups can work with us to bring hope to children.
How you can help change a child’s life
- Connect & share with others – follow our journey on social media as we plan for a brighter future. Share our mission and story to help us raise awareness.
- 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]Come along and join in – look at our events page to see what’s going on, where and when, come along, have a chat about what we are up to and how you might be able to help.
Together, we can continue to make a lasting difference in their lives. Every contribution, big or small, creates brighter futures for Derbyshire’s children.
Our Story
135 Years of Changing Children’s Lives
For 135 years, Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre has been helping children discover the joy, freedom and wonder of a seaside holiday. Since 1891, thousands of Derbyshire children facing poverty, family difficulties, bereavement, caring responsibilities, disability, or other challenges have been given the opportunity to escape their everyday worries and enjoy a few precious days by the sea.
Today, that mission is just as important as it was 135 years ago.
Why We Need Your Help
Many of the children we support have never had a holiday. Some have never seen the sea. Others are carrying worries that no child should have to face.
A holiday may sound simple, but for a child it can be transformational. A week away means:-
* Making new friends
* Building confidence and independence
* Learning new skills
* Having fun and feeling cared for
* Creating happy memories that last a lifetime
Most importantly, it gives children the chance to simply be children.
“I didn’t want to come home. It was the best week of my life.”
The Difference You Can Make
In 2026, we restarted our holiday programme and children are once again paddling in the sea, building sandcastles, exploring new places and discovering new confidence in themselves.
Every donation to our 135th Anniversary Appeal will help provide free residential holidays for Derbyshire children aged 6–11.
* £5 helps provide treats and activities.
* £15 helps cover food and transport.
* £32 a month can fund an entire holiday place over a year.
* £380 can give one child a complete life-changing holiday.
Looking to the Future
As we celebrate 135 years of service, we are not simply looking back at our history we are building the next chapter.
With your support, we can ensure that many more children experience the magic of the seaside, the kindness of caring adults, and the opportunity to flourish.
Be Part of Our Story
Whether you donate £5 or £500, every gift helps create brighter futures for Derbyshire children.
Please support our 135th Anniversary Appeal today and help us continue changing lives for another 135 years.
Thank you for helping Derbyshire’s children flourish!
Facebook Posts
Contact Us Today
Some of Our Valued Supporters
Are you ready to meet another member of our team?
Introducing the wonderful Kerry Anderson who's been a brilliant supporter of ours - not only by organising a fundraising ball but also volunteering with us in Skegness!
Over to you Kerry ...
❓What’s your role at the DCHC?
I’m a fundraiser and volunteer.
❓Why did you become involved with the DCHC?
I first became involved with DCHC through fundraising in memory of my daughter Emily. I really like supporting this charity because you can see the benefit of what you’re doing straight away. With some charities you can donate or raise money and never really see what happens with it, but with DCHC you can see exactly the difference that support makes to the children
❓What does your role involve?
Fundraising throughout the year and volunteering on the children’s holidays. During the week in Skegness it was pretty much anything that needed doing - helping to look after the children, joining in with activities, keeping everyone entertained and making sure they had the best week possible. I also got to drive the minibus!
❓Best moments?
Seeing the children enjoying themselves and watching their confidence grow as the week went on. There were lots of funny moments too, and I loved seeing the friendships they made with each other.
❓Best thing about Skegness?
Seeing it through the children’s eyes. Things we might take for granted can be a massive adventure for them, and that makes you appreciate it completely differently.
❓Coast or countryside?
Countryside - although Skegness definitely has a special place in my heart now!
Thank you so much for sharing your answers with us Kerry - and for your incredible support. ... See MoreSee Less
3 CommentsComment on Facebook
Thank you Kerry so much. We are so lucky and proud to have you with us 👏🏼
Thanks Kerry Anderson for everything you do in support of the Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre!!
Are we signing you up for October Kerry? 🤪
Hot August Night Mickleover | August 9th 2026
This was our second appearance at the Hot August Night 2026, which is Derby's best tribute bands festival. Without doubt there were the the very best tribute acts in the country. These included, Rusted, Big Men in Town, Sweet Like Sabrina, Planet ABBA, Stolen Fridays, and Re-Take That. The compere for the day was the fabulous Becky Measures!
All of the acts were absolutely brilliant!
For this event the Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre were present with the familiar yellow gazebo, where we ran our raffle and a lucky lotto game. We want to thank so many local companies that supported us with prize gifts for the event, we couldn't have done it without them:-
JK Photography
Derby Uncovered
OXYGEN TRAMPOLINE
Houseboat Restaurant Derby
Mrs C's Tea Cosy in Littleover
In particular we would like to say a huge thanks to our Patron Don Amott for supporting us in the event, without doubt having the opportunity to engage with people and inform them about our plans for 2026 and beyond was invaluable.
Was it worth it?
Undoubtedly and categorically yes it was. The weather was unbelievable and the turnout of families, young people and a whole cross section of folks from Derby and beyond. Of course many had prior knowledge of Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre and it was fantastic to provide updates on where, what, and how we are progressing.
And the great news was that on that day, with the generosity of people, tempted by the prizes coupled with the charity's focus meant we were able to raise £1032.60 on the day!
Absolutely Amazing!
And to cap it all we were delighted to welcome Derby's Mayor, Cllr Jonathan Smale! As ever he was very happy to support us, and we are one of Jonathan's chosen charity's for 2026.
Please visit the website to learn more about what they do and how you can help; donations are always welcome, along with volunteers to help in fundraising. On the day we had Tyler, Rio, Vicki, Janine, Pete, Simon and Alison, all were brilliant in helping to reach this tremendous total.
Events
dchc.org.uk/events/
Volunteers
dchc.org.uk/volunteering/
Donations
dchc.org.uk/donate/
General website
www.dchc.org.uk
Here's to another 135 years!
Janine Marie
Simon Evans
Lee Jepson ... See MoreSee Less
1 CommentComment on Facebook
See you next year 👍
It’s here! And we’re here enjoying the sun.
The wonderful Hot August Night Mickleover event is one of many events we do each year and we absolutely love it.
If you’re here in Mickleover at the event or planning to come along, have a look for our big yellow Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre gazebo. We’re right next to the Radio Derby gazebo on way to the fun fair and burger stall.
Thanks to Cllr Jonathan Smale for being our first raffle customer, it was great to catch up and hear about your up and coming Sky dive for charity.
We have available a
Teddy Tombola - £1 for 3 tokens
Raffle - £5 a strip of 5 tickets
Plinko - £2 to be set up later in the day
We look forward to seeing you at our gazebo. ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
... See MoreSee Less
1 CommentComment on Facebook
Thank you for everything you’re doing, it’s amazing to see what you’re doing to help our charity.
💙 PLEASE GET BEHIND GREG! 💙
Just 7 DAYS TO GO!
The preparation is getting very real for Greg Pacho as he gets ready to take on an incredible endurance challenge — and we are so grateful that Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre is one of the charities he is supporting. ❤️
The boxes are being packed, the kit is being organised, the training continues and Greg is somehow fitting it all in amongst everything else!
He’s even had new QR codes printed onto his T-shirts so that people following his challenge can donate along the way. 👕📱
We’d love our DCHC friends and supporters to get behind Greg.
💙 Please donate if you can.
💙 If you can’t donate, please share this post.
💙 And help us cheer Greg on as he prepares for this extraordinary challenge!
Every pound raised for DCHC helps us give children from across Derby and Derbyshire the opportunity to enjoy a free seaside holiday at our Centre in Skegness — making memories, building confidence and simply having the chance to be children. 🏖️☀️
👉 gofund.me/72187363d
Good luck Greg — we’re behind you all the way! 💙🏃♂️
#DerbyshireChildrensHolidayCentre #DCHC#Givefive#GregPacho ... See MoreSee Less
1 CommentComment on Facebook
It’s an amazing feat using your amazing feet 🦶- everyone at the Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre is delighted to have you supporting us; a million thanks to you.
💙 End of Week 3! 💙
These smiles are what it’s all about! 🥰
Another DCHC holiday has come to an end — a week packed with fun, laughter, new experiences, friendships, seaside adventures and memories we hope will last a very long time.
There have been plenty of tired legs (and tired grown-ups! 😴), but looking at these faces reminds us exactly why we do what we do.
A huge THANK YOU to our wonderful staff and volunteers who have given so much of themselves this week, and to everyone who supports DCHC and makes these completely free holidays possible for Derbyshire’s children. 💙
Week 3… DONE! ✅
And now?
REST! 😂😴 ... See MoreSee Less
5 CommentsComment on Facebook
Amazing photographs from our 3rd week of running summer holidays in 2026. Such laughter, fun and joy. Well done to everyone involved, this is exactly why at the Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre we do what we do.
Here, here, well done everyone 🥳👏
Amazing photos such happiness and I remember the feeling well 👏🏼
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