Highfield Highreach Holidays has completed its eighth year of providing transformative residential breaks for children and young adults aged 10-18 with learning difficulties, physical disabilities and medical conditions. Run entirely by volunteers, the week-long holiday offers unforgettable experiences in the safe and welcoming setting of Highfield and Brookham School.

The holiday is accessible to all, including families who might otherwise be unable to afford commercial respite care. Thanks to the fundraising efforts of the school community, more than half of the costs are covered and with all staff volunteering their time, expenses are kept deliberately low.

The school is set in 175 acres of stunning grounds within the South Downs National Park and, with its excellent facilities, provides the perfect base for this enriching holiday experience. This year holidaymakers enjoyed a wide range of on-site activities, including swimming, bushcraft, sensory play and art, complemented by exciting trips to Paultons Park, horse riding and a day at Littlehampton beach.

These outings give participants the chance to tackle activities that may have not done before, shattering preconceptions about what they can achieve; allowing these children and young adults to grow, explore, and push their own boundaries. It also gives their families and carers vital time to rest, recharge and enjoy some much-needed respite. 

The impact of this incredible week on both the holidaymakers and the volunteers is unsurmountable, and each year we receive such wonderful feedback from all those involved.  Parents of this year’s holidaymakers were full of praise. “My daughter has had the most wonderful holiday… she has come home so happy and full of joy that she cannot stop talking about it.” Another parent shared, “My daughter has been coming here for 5-6 years now… the staff are just brilliant, remembering everything about her and treating her with such warmth and care.”

Highfield and Brookham’s ethos of giving back is reflected not only in fundraising but in the many alumni who volunteer. One volunteer said, “It’s been a life-changing experience… just seeing all those smiling faces is incredible. I can’t wait to do it again.”

“Highfield Highreach Holidays continue to demonstrate the extraordinary impact of community, care, and opportunity, transforming lives one holiday at a time,” said Suzannah Cryer, Head at Highfield and Brookham.