Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre
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!
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Contact Us Today
Some of Our Valued Supporters















Photos from Chevin Golf Club's post ... See MoreSee Less
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Chevin Golf Club - what a great day for a game of golf. Hope it goes well and thank you once again for supporting us at the Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre.
Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre are cock-a-hoop to be able to announce that starting on Tuesday 7th July and completing on 11th July our charity have 'The ‘Who Knew?’ walking tour with Stuart Boon and Xavier Andrews.
Following their successful walk last year from Derby to Blackpool, they have developed a new plan whilst working with me to raise further funds for the Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre (DCHC).
Both Xavier and Stuart are passionate about the charity which has meant so much to Stuart since he was a child.
Their aim with the ‘Who Knew Walk’ is to raise awareness of the numerous Derbyshire towns where the charity engages with disadvantaged children and who are able to enjoy a holiday at our home in Skegness.
The walk will take them from
Day 1. Glossop to Buxton via Chapel en le Frith;
Day 2. Buxton to Chesterfield via Bakewell;
Day 3. Chesterfield to Belper via Alfreton;
Day 4. Belper to Derby via Kilburn, Heanor and Spondon
Day 5. Final leg from Derby to Swadlincote via Melbourne and Ticknall.
A total of 102 miles; the same distance that the DCHC in Skegness is from Derby.
We hope you’ll be able to support them in their mission to raise £2000. Their JustGiving page is provided below.
www.justgiving.com/page/stuart-boon
Barbara Anne Hastings-Asatourian
@followers
The Needles Pub
The Nags Head
Becky Measures
Himalayan Gurkha Restaurant (Derby)
Skegness Standard
Derbyshire Live
Nadine Peatfield
Mastroianni Ice’s
Janine Marie
LEAD I.T Services
Cosy
Jonathan Charles Smale
Catherine Atkinson ... See MoreSee Less
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📰 We're in the news! 📰
Lovely to see news of our 135th year anniversary service at Derby Cathedral make a nice colourful page in today's Derby Telegraph.
And we've had some further coverage of our service in Charity Today - it's great to see our news celebrated in the local community.
#charity #fundraising #happynews ... See MoreSee Less
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Fabulous ✔️
🚗 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – CAN YOU HELP? 🚗
As we prepare to welcome guests to our special 135th Anniversary Afternoon Tea at Repton School on Sunday 28th June, we’re looking for a few volunteers to help marshal cars and direct guests as they arrive.
📍 Repton School
🕜 Sunday 28th June
⏰ 1.30pm – 2.30pm
This would be an ideal opportunity for:
• Scout Network members
• Explorer Scouts
• Army, Air or Sea Cadets
• Duke of Edinburgh participants
• Anyone who enjoys helping at community events
You’ll be the friendly face welcome supporters as they arrive for an afternoon celebrating 135 years of changing children’s lives through holidays by the sea.
If you can spare an hour and would like to help, please send us a message or email us at [email protected].
Thank you for helping us make this special anniversary event a success!
#Volunteer #Scouts #ScoutNetwork #Cadets #DofE #Repton #Derbyshire #Community #DCHC135 #ChangingLivesByTheSea ... See MoreSee Less
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Amber Valley CVS (AVCVS) do you know anybody who can help? Thanks ☺️
⛱️ Oh we do like to be beside the seaside! ⛱️
We can't thank enough everyone who made our 135th birthday celebrations at Derby Cathedral so special.
It was wonderful to see this glorious church packed with so many people who came together to help us celebrate 135 years of providing children's holidays in Skegness.
What a riot of colour. What performances. What memories.
From the talents of young performers at Derby Theatre's Abbey Hub who presented their memories of the sea, to Journey to the Coast from St Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy Dance group who masterfully evoked the waves of the sea with their movements - it was a beautiful, positive, uplifting service.
We heard memories of the holiday centre from Michelle Breffitt and Nicole Pirie - and we were even introduced to our founder Harry Bates Sykes himself, via the talents of performer Dylan Bull.
The performance from The Invisible Friends choir provided an incredibly powerful and beautiful moment in the service.
And as for our closing song? We couldn't beat the Madonna classic - Holiday!
A huge thank you goes to our principal event sponsors Vaillant Live, Cosy and LEAD I.T Services, partners Blue Mountain Homes, Rumko Marketing, and community sponsors Broadbents Solicitors, Smallbizbod, A.W. Lymn, Lulua Travel, Rothera Bray, Penguin PR and Caslon Press.
Amazing to see so many civic dignitaries from around our brilliant county of Derbyshire there too. We are so glad you could join us. ... See MoreSee Less
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