Bringing joy and building confidence – the Florida trip of a lifetime for young people from North Devon

Eight young people have just returned from Florida and the holiday of a lifetime thanks to an inspiring local charity.

The Children’s Holiday Foundation North Devon (CHFND) has just completed its 28th trip to The Sunshine State, each one a very special holiday for local young people who have suffered with serious illness or major disability.

The charity was founded by Dr Robin Buckland in 1993 has since taken 224 young people on the holidays, which as well as adding joy to their lives also helps them to gain more confidence and independence.

Each group is accompanied by eight adult volunteer helpers and the aim is to give them a memorable two weeks. Several from the recent group had never been abroad before and all of them have had a challenging time over the last year.

The trip included visits to three of the Disney parks, along with Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, Gatorland and Sea World. The highlight for all of them was the very special day at Discovery Cove where were able to swim with dolphins and interact with the beautiful creatures.

Above: Swimming with dolphins at Discovery Cove tends to be the highlight of the trip for many! Credit: CHFND

There were also rest days by the hotel pool, shopping trips, the opportunity to try new foods in American restaurants and of course, plenty of Florida sunshine.

Below: The group enjoying a visit to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Credit: CHFND

The recipients of the holidays come from North Devon and are mostly nominated by various medical practitioners – all are dealing with serious illness or disability and often they have had to cope with many other problems as well.

The holidays give them something to look forward to, as most will have spent a lot of time in hospital, received extensive medical of surgical treatment and have had to travel long distances regularly to specialist units.

Reflecting on the latest trip, founder Dr Robin Buckland said: “This holiday was quite challenging, but all the children have benefitted in many ways, not least the memory of a holiday of a life time. 

“They have all grown in confidence and become more independent which should help them in the future. Everyone loved swimming with the dolphins, the amazing fireworks at the Magic Kingdom and most of the rollercoasters.

“We are very grateful to everyone who has supported us with fundraising in the past and I am especially grateful to my brilliant helpers who make these holidays so special for the young people. 

“We are now planning the next holiday for eight more North Devon Children in April 2026.”

All the young people who went on the trip said afterwards they felt more confident as a result, including young Dalton, who said: “It has helped me understand my illness by accepting what it is and it has also helped me deal with my stress. 

“I have become more confident in talking to people. I now realise that I can do stuff on my own without my family. This has been my first holiday and it has been amazing. I love Florida and I have always dreamed of coming here.”

Jay added: “I loved the holiday and I liked seeing other people being happy. I have made a new group of friends with similar illnesses.”

Melissa said: “The holiday was great fun and I enjoyed swimming with the dolphins and feeding all the animals at Gatorland. I loved the snorkelling and touching the stingrays. 

“I feel more confident and independent and my walking and swimming have improved.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about the charity and the work it does can follow on Instagram at Childrens_holiday_foundation or if you would like to help fund raise or make a donation, visit the charity website at https://chfnd.org.uk