HELPFUL Holidays, the Chagford-based West Country holiday cottage specialists, have donated £10,000 to Farms for City Children — the charity established in 1976 by children's writer Michael Morpurgo and his wife, Claire.

The charity's aim is to expand the horizons of children from towns and cities all over the country by offering them a week in the countryside to live and work together.

Farms for City Children chief executive Helen Chalanor said: 'Thank you Helpful Holidays for supporting us again, as you have done for several years now. We are hugely grateful. 

'Farms for City Children opens up a magical world of farming and country life to thousands of city children every year and Helpful Holidays play a key part in making that possible. They are one of our strongest business supporters.'

Helpful Holidays general manager Moray Bowater visited Nethercott, the charity's base at Iddesleigh, to present them with a cheque.

Children from Kelvin Grove Primary School, East London, were staying on the farm at the time and were able to enjoy the presentation.

Mr Bowater said: 'We've sponsored Farms for City Children for many years now and we love to see all the tremendous work they do for children, who would otherwise have little or no idea of farm life.

'This year we are able to make this special donation from the money we raised with the funds generated from the VAT saved during the recent 'VAT holiday'.

'Rather than taking extra profit or discounting its already published prices, Helpful Holidays donated the 2.5 % VAT cut to the charitable fund.'