Children’s Charity is a Fitting Legacy for Dales Resident

Peter Savidge (left) presents the £1,000 cheque to Derbyshire Dales Civic Chair, Councillor David Burton

A local man who wanted to find a fitting legacy for his late wife has donated £1,000 to the Derbyshire Dales Civic Chair's 'Send A Child To Hucklow' charity.

Peter Savidge has presented the cheque to Councillor David Burton in memory of his late wife Sheila, who died two years ago. The donation kickstarts the Civic Chair's appeal, which runs until the middle of next year.

The Send a Child to Hucklow Fund is a charity to arrange and fund holidays at the Nightingale Centre in Great Hucklow for groups of disadvantaged children, having no regard to religious, political, racial or other connections.

Said Peter, "This is a really great thing for children to experience. My late wife Sheila was brought up in East London in the 1950s and never knew the countryside existed.

"Through a penny fund paid into by her granny she went on a two week holiday with other children on a farm near to Cirencester. The introduction to farm animals and the freedom of the countryside left such an impression that her love of the outdoors remained with her for all of her life.

"It was this love that focused our move to Derbyshire and her love of the outdoors and such lovely countryside, especially the Peak District."

Peter, who wanted to create a legacy for Sheila, read about the Civic Chair's appeal in a local newspaper, and said: "I immediately thought 'yes – that's it'."

Councillor Burton, who has invited Peter to visit the Nightingale Centre next year, said the generous donation would fund four holiday places for youngsters.

He added: "I always find it extremely moving when the children arrive at Great Hucklow and get off the coach. They are on another planet from where they've come from and it's honestly hard to keep the tears back. There's something very special about what is achieved there."

Councillor Burton has set up a Just Giving page for anyone wishing to contribute to the charity at www.justgiving.com/page/derbyshire-dales-district-council-civicchair2023-24

More information about the charity can be found at www.sendachildtohucklow.org.uk