Send-A-Child-To-Hucklow

Background

The Send A Child To Hucklow Fund originated in 1961 and became a registered charity (No. 271585) in 1976.

It exists to raise the necessary funds, and to organise and run, holidays for children from eight to fifteen years of age who would not otherwise have a holiday, regardless of the race, nationality or religion of the children, and without seeking to influence their religious affiliations or beliefs.

The holidays, which are usually - although not necessarily exclusively - housed at the Unitarian Conference and Holiday Centre -the Nightingale Centre - at Great Hucklow in Derbyshire, are intended to provide children from disadvantaged backgrounds with a few days of recreation through activities, in a environment of friendliness and community. No attempt is intended or made during the holidays to provide the children with any therapy or expertise in solving any emotional, social or psychological difficulties they may have.

The Fund's operation

There is a body of appointed Trustees, with an elected Chair Person, Secretary, and Treasurer, which meets at least once a year to receive reports and discuss business matters relating to the work of the charity. At the Annual Meeting of the trustees, an Executive Committee is appointed with powers to act in emergencies. It usually consists of the officers and one other trustee.

There is also a Management Meeting held at least once a year, made up of Trustees and other people involved in the holidays, when the past year's holidays are reviewed, and plans are made for the holidays for the coming year.

Who is eligible?

The children coming on the holidays are selected by various agencies such as the Family Service Unit, Social Services Departments, Women's Refuges, Schools and Churches, etc. Each agency is required to select a maximum of twenty-three children - and preferably not less than sixteen - for a holiday, and to ensure that the children on any one holiday do not exceed a four-year age span.

More detailed requirements for the holidays

") The agency selecting the children is responsible for ensuring that a Consent Form is filled in for each child, giving signed parental or guardian consent for the child to come on the holiday, and listing any dietary needs, any ailment or disability the child has, and any medication currently being taken. The form must also give the name, address, and telephone number of whom to contact in an emergency. These Consent Forms duly filled in must either (a) be delivered to the Leader of the particular holiday at least seven days before the starting date of the holiday, or (b) be brought on the first day of the holiday by a responsible adult. Failure to provide a Consent Form adequately filled in for each child may well result in a child being ineligible for being accepted on the holiday.

The agency selecting the children is required to appoint a Leader for their holiday. A Leader may or may not have professional training in working with children but must have proven good experience or working with them, and MUST be Police Checked. If police checking is refused then the local Social Services should be contacted for their help. A Leader is expected to have a knowledge of the holiday venue and the surrounding area, and if they do not have that knowledge, they are required to obtain it before going on the holiday. The agency is also required to provide the Secretary of the Send a Child To Hucklow Fund with a duly filled in and signed Holiday Leader form giving details of the Leader they have appointed.

Each Leader, in consultation with the agency selecting the children is required to appoint at least three, but preferably not more than five, helpers, taking into account the need for people of both sexes, of different age groups, and with different skills and interests. The Leader should require an up-to-date reference for each helper.

All Leaders are issued with a "Leaders Guide" which not only gives information on places to visit and sports and activity facilities in the area, but also gives information on the local doctor, dentist and chemist, and basic guidelines to be followed in case of an accident or accusation of abuse.

// --> Leader and helpers are expected to provide reasonable care and safeguards while the children are out walking, engaged in sports and games, swimming at public baths, and traveling on coaches. If the children are to be engaged in such activities as horse-riding, canoeing or rock climbing, then the Leader must ensure that these activities are carried out at centres which have insurance cover and qualified staff to provide supervision.

Insurance

Groups are responsible for their own insurance. Evidence of the insurance must be provided to an Officer of the Fund, usually the Hon. Secretary ideally, as requested, some 4 weeks before the date of the holiday. The holiday cannot proceed in the absence of suitable, adequate insurance.

Queries about a particular holiday should be addressed to the Leader of that holiday.

Some comment from the children

"...I had a really good time and made new friends. Thank you very much."

"...It was the first time away from home. I was a bit scared at the start, but then I fell in love with the place and really enjoyed my time. The food was good, nice bedrooms and people were really nice. I was a bit shy on the public speaking, but afterwards I felt good about it. Thanks!"

"I had the best time of my life this week. It was very tiring but brilliant. My friends at home will be really jealous now when I tell them what we did this week."

"My favourite part of staying in the Nightgale center Was the dormitories because they Were Wrm and comfortable. I also liked the play area becacaus I could play With my friends With a lovely view behind me. I loved the country side."

"My favourite part of staying in DerByshire was taking the 10 mile walk to Eyam.We got there we Were all Out of breath,But We had our poct-lunch and looked around th Village and then came back. I n joyed getting Muddy cold Walking in the swamp."

"...we are going home today and I have had a great week. The best thing was meeting some new friends. my friends woz C..., D..., C..., T... and D..., but I will know them now in the Holiday Club. We stayed in a brill house, the food was really good."

"...today was amazing, we did the High Ropes. On the first go I was very scared...second go was fine...we were 50 feet up in the air...some people didn't want to do it but they overcame their fears and did everything. It was such a great day."

All other queries relating to the Charity, its fund raising, and this Statement, should be address to the Honorary Secretary.

Officers:

	Honorary Secretary: Rev Ernest W S Baker 145 Tullibardine Road Greystones Sheffield S11 7GN 0114 2661070		Chairman: Rev Peter Godfrey 65 Borough Close Kings Stanley Stonehouse Glos. GL10 3LJ 01453 821300 petergodfrey224@btinternet.com
	Honorary Treasurer: Mr David Ogden 29 Stanhope Road Croydon CR0 5NS 0208 680 4714 davidandbehjat@dsl.pipex.com		Donations Treasurer: Rev Chris Goacher 24 Lindsey Close Derby DE21 6DG 01332 732171 chris.goacher@ntlworld.com

SaCH Secretary's Report 2006-2007

I have pleasure in presenting this, my 6th Hon. Secretary's Report.

In 2007 we again provided 10 weeks of holidays at the Nightingale Centre, Great Hucklow for children from Bolton, Mansfield, Nottingham, Manchester, Stalybridge, Blackburn and four groups from Liverpool. A possible repeat visit from last year's Bristol group did not in the event prove viable.

Yet again, the return of Evaluation forms suggests a general high degree of satisfaction on the part of our visitors. Leaders are once again most positive in their remarks, not least as to the helpfulness and quality of the Nightingale Centre staff members.

It is gratifying to be able to report that at the time of writing some 6 groups have already accepted provisional offers for weeks in 2008, assisting the Centre's Bookings Plan. Once again some 10 weeks are scheduled. Groups appear now to have well adjusted to the impact of the physical changes at the Centre noted last year.

Basic information about the fund can be found on the UCCN website - www.uccn.org.uk/sacth, now kindly updated, and with numerous photographs, by James Barry; and the Fund is also listed on the Charity Commission-sponsored website, www.guidestar.org.uk.

Our grateful, warm thanks, as always, go to the many people who have given help to the Fund during the past year: to Centre Manager, Julie Dadson; to Mr Paul Andrew and the Andrew's firm coach drivers; the leaders and helpers of all the holidays; the Officers and Trustees of the Fund. *** Our grateful thanks are due also to the many folk who have contributed generously in financial terms, as new or continuing supporters, to make possible the continuation of the holidays, so well received by the children involved. *** My personal thanks as always go to Chairman, Peter Godfrey, and the Fund's Treasurer, David Ogden.

We record our thanks to Chris Goacher as Donations Treasurer, hoping he has been kept suitably busy on our behalf in this first year of office. *** At the forthcoming AGM we anticipate formally appointing new Trustees Dr Judith Short, and Rev Don Phillips, thanking them in advance for their willingness to serve.

We have continued to publicise the Fund through the Unitarian denominational press, and at the General Assembly meetings. In the latter case though a piece in GA Zette, and by distributing a flyer to the delegates and visitors. A highlight of the year for me was the opportunity to speak to members of Ashton-under-Lyne Soroptimists about "Send-a-Child" as a consequence of their current President's desire to nominate us as the chosen charity for her Presidential year. She is a member of the Stalybridge Unitarian congregation. For this I prepared what is my first "PowerPoint" Presentation(!), extensively utilising and updating text from inspiring talks given in the past by Derek Smith, who was a leader on one of the first weeks in 1963 - a tale which still moves people, together with a host of photographs old and new. So - "Have Laptop - will travel"!

This year has been gloriously uneventful, except for the reported enjoyment of some 200 young people. I take delight in being able to continue to serve "Send-a-Child", helping with the Trustees to light a small candle in potential darkness.

Ernest Baker: November 2007

Treasurer’s report for the year ended 30th September 2007

I am delighted to be able to tell you that we received almost £30,000 in donations over the past year. Than you very much to everyone who has supported the Fund. This is a record, although it was helped with donations of £6,000 from the trustees of the Astley Chapel, which will be added to the capital account as requested.

We provided holidays for 10 groups of children.

Our expenditure was £47,500 of which over £46,200 was spent directly on the cost of holidays.

Our expenditure exceeded our live income from donations and interest and dividends by £13,800. However, this was offset by the increase in the value of our investments by £8,800 and it does not take account of the money from Astley Chapel. Overall, the Fund remains in a healthy financial position.

I would like to thank Chris Goacher in particular for his help through the year. I would also like to thank Mike Georgiou for auditing the accounts once again.

All donations are gratefully received, but I like at this time to mention a few particularly generous donations. Special thanks are due to the Sir John Eastwood Foundation, MDMA, North Lancs Group of Unitarian Churches, the Rathbones Trust, the Joseph & Ann Slater Memorial Fund and the Toy Trust. In addition, we received generous donations from several congregations. We received a generous legacy from Emily Bushrod and gifts in memory of H Barber, Linda Barrett, Fred Charles. John McLachlan, Elsie Moore, Amy Taylor and Graham Toulson. Our reserves are such that we can afford to finance additional weeks’ holidays for groups if we can find them. As we got so close over the last year, I suggest that we try to break through £30,000 over the coming year.

David Ogden - October 2007

Donations can now be made online at: charitychoice.co.uk