EMPLOYEES, trustees and supporters of a West Devon-based children's charity dressed up in their finery for a special afternoon tea last Friday.

CHICKS (Country Holidays for Inner City Kids) held the 'Bubbles at tea time' event at the Coombe Trenchard estate as a way of thanking their supporters and allowing them to talk face to face with employees and trustees of the charity to hear of its work and plans.

CHICKS provides free respite breaks for underprivileged children who would otherwise not get a holiday or break.

Marion Luckhurst, who has been chair of trustees for CHICKS for 12 years, said: 'At the moment we are in full swing with our summer camps. The children have been busy canoeing and horse riding, but we have also made sure to make time for more traditional activities like making campfires, playing board games and reading bed-time stories.'

The charity currently runs two retreats, a moorland one in Brentor and a coastal retreat in Cornwall, where children from across the UK spend a week enjoying various activities.

Marion said: 'We are currently working on plans to open a third centre, somewhere in the Midlands but it is very early stages at the moment. With the increase of child poverty and a loss of government funding, for these children in particular it is important to have a break.

It is hard for children who have nothing to see children who seem to have everything. We give them experiences and memories that will remain with them forever. It puts them on a more level footing with others.

'It is not just impoverished children we help, some are abused or are child carers — there is a vast range. We wouldn't be able to do any of it without the help of our supporters.'

Owners of Coombe Trenchard Sarah and Phillip Marsh allowed visitors to the event to tour the vast gardens and served tea and home-made cakes to the guests.