FLYING the flag for disadvantaged children from all over the UK is a West Devon charity, CHICKS, or to give it its full name, Country Holidays for Inner City Kids.

CHICKS is a registered children's charity founded in 1992 which offers free, six day residential respite breaks at either its Moorland Retreat in Brentor or its coastal retreat at Tywardreath, near Par in Cornwall.

The charity provides a unique experience of care, understanding and support with outdoor activities, games, team building and crafts.

The centres take a maximum of 16 children at one time — eight boys and eight girls — within an 8 to eleven and 12 to 15 age range, which ensures a friendly and supportive 'family' atmosphere.

Both the moorland and coastal retreats are set within their own grounds with views over the surrounding countryside and plenty of space for the children to enjoy. The holidays are overseen by the charity's trained and enthusiastic supervisors.

All children who attend CHICKS have different needs but all really benefit from a break from the pressures and stresses of their everyday lives — the charity exists to give these children a break they will always remember.

One youngster who enjoyed a stay with CHICKS said: 'I have thought about CHICKS every night and all the good times we had together. CHICKS was absolutely brilliant — I can't think of anything else to say except I love CHICKS.'

One parent, whose child had enjoyed a holiday with CHICKS, said: 'Thank you for giving my son five fun filled days in 2007.

'Before he went he was terrified of going away from home without me. When he came back he was bubbling with excitement. In his own words he said "going to that camp has boosted my confidence".'

Jo Westerman, the charity's community fundraiser, said that CHICKS' main concern is to ensure the children have a great time and take full advantage of the change of scenery, enjoying the social interaction with other children.

She said: 'It is funny when children come here and look around them and say "Why is there not a building, there, there or there" and if they go to the coastal retreat they ask which is the shallow end of the sea as they think it is a swimming pool. They are surprised by all the greenery around them which we can sometimes take for granted. The children who come to either one of our camps absolutely love it.'

Plymouth's premiership basketball team, the Plymouth Raiders, made the charity's year recently by choosing CHICKS as its charity of the year.

The team mates will be helping the charity in any way they can — starting with having the CHICKS' logo on the back of their shirts during matches.

A recent survey taken by CHICKS showed that 4,000 children are victims of abuse or neglect every year, and each year, on average, there are 20,000 court cases to take children into care, to protect them from their parents.

CHICKS is trying to improve the situation for neglected children by providing them with a much-needed break.

Last year, the children who visited CHICKS came from three main areas:

l Half of them were from families with low incomes

l Thirty-four per cent suffered from neglect

l The remaining 20% were carers themselves — meaning they looked after someone else in their household.

CHICKS chief executive, Roy Endacott said: 'Many of the children experience countryside and the sea for the first time on a visit. Staff and volunteers who look after the children are fun, enthusiastic and energetic and aim to feed positive messages to the children during their stay.

'Our aim is to make a lasting impression on the children and show that life can be different in more ways than one.'