30 Years ago, in May 1992, Chicks was started as a small charity in Devon providing country holidays for inner city kids.
Some things have changed. Go Beyond is a name more suited to the 2020s. We now offer breaks in the Peak District as well as the South West. Many children do still travel from cities but we have seen a lot of children in need in our rural and coastal communities too.
Some things are just the same: the chance for children to spend time outdoors, making new friends, trying new things and putting their worries behind them. These things are more important than ever.
There were 4.3 million children living in poverty in the UK before the pandemic. The situation has worsened and with the rising cost of living, sadly, many more families will struggle. The figure is an average that equates to one third of all children, but we know some neighbourhoods have much higher levels of child poverty. We have a party of children from Bethnal Green in London joining us for a break at Daleside in a couple of weeks’ time. In Bethnal Green, more than half of all the children live in poverty. These are the children we want to help.
As the summer approaches, millions of children will be looking forward to going on holiday. Airports and travel operators are struggling to cope with the demand as holiday makers make up for the lost two years.
Our thoughts though, are with the families who never had a holiday, and now can’t hope to have one.
A week with us can change that. At no cost to the family, a child can spend a week having fun, in the fresh air, eating good food and making memories that will be
theirs forever.
For 30 years this charity has brought hope and smiles to 18,000 children. I’m proud that despite all the challenges of the pandemic, we are still here offering that glimpse of hope and sunshine. We know children pack their bags weeks before they are due to come away with us – they’re excited that they have something to look forward to. While they’re with us they have fun and they learn new things, and they become part of our Go Beyond family. Afterwards, we stay in touch, they are welcome to come again. We will encourage older children to come back and help with a break for younger ones.
Three decades has given us lots of data and insights about how to do this well. It has also shown us we can do even more. As we move beyond our 30 birthday we will be taking stock and reflecting on our learning as we plan for an even more ambitious future. With your support, we will be able to reach more children.
These are hard times for many children and their families but for Go Beyond, our offer has never been more necessary and that makes 2022 the perfect time for us to be ambitious and call our supporters together to do whatever we can to make happy childhood memories for children who deserve something special in their lives.
Whether you are a long-term supporter who has stood by us for years or whether you are a new supporter, a volunteer, or a member of the team, you are all part of our Go Beyond family and on behalf of the thousands of children who have benefited I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you.
