Skegness Derbyshire Childrens Holiday Home
Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre
Re-opens in Skegness
The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre re-opened in Skegness today after a £80,000 refurbishment.
Skegness Video went along to capture the grand occasion.
The ceremony was introduced by the organizer, who firstly invited the Mayor of Skegness, Councilor Brian O’Connor to say a few words.
The Mayor of Skegness then invited the Mayor of Derby to offer a few words…
The current residents of the Holiday Centre were then introduced.
Then came the time for Mable and Ken to cut the ceremonial ribbon… a 3-2-1 countdown by the Skegness Mayor and…
…the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre was declared well and truly open!
Cheers and applause rang out from the spectators…
May the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre continue for a furthur hundred and fifteen years!
Company gives boost to holiday centre for disadvantaged children
A DERBY company has become the first to sponsor a bedroom at a centre that provides holidays for disadvantaged youngsters.
Earlier this month, the Derby Telegraph revealed that the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre in Skegness was facing financial problems because of the credit crunch.
Every year the centre takes 450 seven to 13-year-olds from less-privileged Derbyshire homes to Skegness, where they are treated to days out, sports and activities at the seaside.
But donations in the first few months of the year have been halved and the charity’s board is concerned that if the trend continues it could be forced to mothball the centre next year.
Now staff at Robinsons Solicitors have handed over a cheque for £2,066, which will pay for half a dozen week-long breaks at the Lincolnshire resort.
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The money will see the firm sponsor a six-bed room during the summer.
It will pay for the transport, food, admission charges, care, food and lodging of the children who will stay there on a holiday they would otherwise not be able to enjoy.
Staff at Robinsons nominated the centre as their chosen charity for 2008 and collected the money by selling off computer equipment as it was replaced and making donations instead of sending cards at Christmas.
Neil Barnes, managing partner at Robinsons, said: “This is the biggest charity donation Robinsons has ever made, which goes to show the high regard everyone has for the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre.
“It is a fantastic charity which serves a simple, yet worthwhile, cause – the need to give every child the opportunity to have fun at the seaside.
“We hope that the six youngsters have a holiday to remember and wish the centre every success in raising enough money to allow it to reopen next year.”
Following the Telegraph’s article, donations have started to come in and charity chairman Bill Tomlinson is delighted.
He said: “Raising public awareness has helped tremendously.
“But we still want to try to find people or companies who are willing to commit themselves to long-term sponsorship.
“The centre, which costs £150,000 a year to run, needs the reassurance that it will be viable year after year and that can only be gained by regular funding.”
The centre has been running for 118 years and is entirely dependent on donations.
Mr Tomlinson said: “We have a long way to go in terms of preserving this year’s programme and raising enough money to open in 2010 but this is a substantial donation which will send us on our way.”
For more information about donations contact Mr Tomlinson on 07778 394415.
Photo: Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre Scarbrough Avenue Skegness.
I do not doubt that this is a noble charity with good intentions which benefits many “GENUINE”children in need of a holiday.
However,a couple of years ago I became aware of a neighbour who is on every benefit going in Derby who had just come back from
3 weeks in Tenerife with their two kids.A couple of days after they arrived back the son aged 10 was picked up and taken to this seaside home for a week or so,when he came back the daughter aged 12 was picked up and taken for a similar period.
The kids in question are some of the most avaricious and materialistic I have come across.Upon returning I asked them about their recent travels and they said that Tenerife was boring with nothing to do and Skegness seaside holiday home was
a dump and like an old peoples home.I rest my case on that one!!.
I have supported this cause over the years and hence I was somewhat furious at the apparent abuse and attitude,so I contacted both the home and the then trustee(name escapes me).
Neither party seemed remotely interested in what I had to say and simply passed the buck,saying they have no control over who is sent or why and indeed were quite rude making me sound like a villain for having the audacity to ring up.Needless to say I ceased all support for them and advised others also.
I hope it continues for the sake of “genuine”children in need of a holiday but more stringent checks need to be made as some parents are living the life of Riley whilst palming their ungrateful greedy litte dears off onto this charity.
Well said, Dave, I totally agree with you. I’ll just add that the holiday centre is far from being a “dump”, particularly now renovations have recently taken place.
i rember going there as a kid haveing lots of fun i am 48years old now and my children go
i went 2 the home when i was a child we me sister and cousin i would like 2 no how i would b able 2 get my sons there 4 a holiday thanks
miss sue whittaker