A WEST Devon youngster who suffered dreadful burns when he was a toddler was a special guest during a fun-packed holiday on the Dorset coast recently. Kieran Shilston, of Sticklepath, joined the Frenchay After Burns (FAB) Children?s Club annual activity camp near Poole, one of 13 children from across the region who were treated to a place on the holiday. The FAB charity, which celebrates its fifth birthday this year, supports young burns survivors who have been treated in the regional specialist unit at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol. The activity camps encourage the children to experience a wide range of challenges to build their self-confidence, including abseiling, dragon boat racing and canoeing. Kieran?s grandmother Janet Shilston joined FAB after Kieran suffered 60% burns, mostly to his back, in a bathing accident when he was 18 months old. Since then, the youngster has endured more than 40 operations and spent more than eight months in hospital receiving treatment, including time in intensive care. Mrs Shilston said: ?The FAB club is so beneficial, because it gives all the children so much more confidence. ?The camps are marvellous events for the children to look forward to and enjoy after suffering such traumatic injuries. They realise they are not alone. ?Kieran even took his baseball cap off, which he would never have done before he joined the club! ?All the volunteers are so marvellous ? we can?t thank them enough.? Caroline James, chairman of FAB, said: ?Children join the club to meet others who have been through a similar experience, to have fun, to try new activities and make new friends. ?Some children have been coming to our camps for several years and now offer their own support and advice to the younger ones who are coming for the first time.? FAB is an independent charity and relies entirely on the generosity of donors and fundraisers. But with each place at the annual camp costing several hundred pounds, and a growing number of young people wishing to take part, the need for extra support is growing. Caroline said: ?All the children have a fantastic time and the transformation in their lives can be amazing. But we could achieve so much more if we could find more people willing to join us, either as fundraisers or volunteers.? Caroline said FAB supporters come from all walks of life but share a common goal ? to offer a better future to burn-injured children in the South West. For more information on how to support FAB Children?s Club, call 07821 989845 or write to PO Box 1176, Bristol BS36 2ZR.