Charity 'delighted' as children's holidays resume

A charity that takes disadvantaged children on seaside holidays has resumed its trips after suspending them due to financial difficulties.

Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre announced in January 2025 it was pausing its services to undertake a "thorough review" of the charity and its finances.

The charity has been providing groups of children whose families cannot afford a holiday to its Skegness centre for five‑day breaks for more than 130 years - with a group of 20 children setting off on Monday.

Speaking to the BBC, Janine Holmes, the charity's chief executive, said: "We're now more stronger and more resilient - to fill the centre with children again is absolutely wonderful."

Holmes said the breaks were not just about going on a holiday, but they also taught children to improve their "emotional literacy" by understanding how to cope with "strong feelings".

She added that "costs were outstripping our income" and the charity had to take measures to "streamline things".

She said the centre was let out to organisations, such as Guides and schools, when it was not in use.

Each holiday per child costs £380 - which includes transport, staffing and catering. The charity is aiming to take 200 children on a break to the centre in Skegness each year.

Holmes said: "This first trip back is so significant for us because we had to pause our offer last year while we restructured and looked at the charity from top to bottom.

"We're really pleased we've come out of that more stronger and more resilient - to fill the centre with children again is absolutely wonderful - that's what this charity is all about.

"For some children, they will have never seen the seaside before, and to some, they will have never been away from home without their parents, so for a lot of them it's a huge step towards their independence.

"I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone that has supported and been loyal to us through this time."

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