My name is Cathy Reed. I live in Steyning and study at Brighton University.

I am a volunteer for the National Asthma Campaign, responsible for an organisation called PEAK which runs residential activity holidays for children and young people aged six to 17 with severe to moderate asthma and eczema.

The aim of these holidays is to help improve children's confidence and knowledge of their condition and help them learn to manage their conditions.

It also provides a break for parents, knowing their child is being looked after by a team of volunteer doctors and nurses and other trained people while providing them with a fun-filled holiday.

Last year, PEAK did not fill its 200 places available on these holidays.

Very few people know about PEAK and the benefits the holidays can bring. There are 1.4 million children with asthma in the United Kingdom who could benefit from a holiday.

PEAK is running four holidays in 2003 catering for two different age ranges at each holiday (six-to-12 and 13-17): Ballycastle, Northern Ireland - June 28 to July 3.

Pocklington, Yorkshire - July 20 to July 26.

Tettenhall, Wolverhampton - August 3 to August 9.

Taunton, Somerset - August 17 to August 23.

The price of the holidays is dependent on the families' ability to pay.

Parents are asked to nominate how much they feel they can afford for their child's holiday, with the National Asthma Campaign subsidising the difference.

If you know of any children who would benefit from a holiday, please contact Patrick Ladbury on 0207 704 5892 or pladbury@asthma.org.uk for an application form or to speak to a health professional who has seen the benefits of the holidays for their patients.

-Cathy Reed