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Green Goals Update, Quarter 3 2024

October 3, 2024

Nine months have passed since we shared our Green Goals for 2024 and we're not slowing down!

Between April and June 2024, we achieved ‘Plastic Free Champion’ status, successfully completed the David Bellamy Blooming Marvellous ‘Tree-mendous’ Challenge, began assessing the opportunity for EV charging solutions at our parks and joined the North Somerset Breast Feeding Welcome Scheme.


And despite this summer being our busiest ever, we’ve still found time to make plans for the Autumn;


1. Pollinator Patches

Several of our parks successfully participated in Butterfly Conservations’ Big Butterfly Count this August. Sadly, it has been reported that the result of this years Big Butterfly Count ‘show a marked and hugely concerning decline in butterfly numbers.’ So much so, that Butterfly Conservation has declared a national 'Butterfly Emergency'.


Dr Richard Fox, Head of Science at Butterfly Conservation reflected;


‘Butterflies are a key indicator species - when they are in trouble, we know that the wider environment is in trouble too. Nature is sounding the alarm call. We must act now if we are to turn the tide on these rapid declines and protect species for future generations.’


With this in mind we have committed to introducing dedicated ‘Pollinator Patches’, areas where bees, butterflies and other insects can get food and shelter, at all of our Holiday Parks. 


2. Meadow Walk and Sensory Play

In our ongoing commitment to looking after our parks’ green areas in a sympathetic and appropriate way in order to support the increase in biodiversity, plans are in place to introduce a new Meadow Walk and Sensory Play Area at Riverside Holiday Village.


By implementing a meadow management regime, we will allow native grasses and flowers to grow; creating a new habitat for birds, insects and many other forms of wildlife, whilst also reducing our organic waste.


New sensory play equipment will be scattered throughout the Meadow Walk for children and families to enjoy away from the hustle and bustle as they explore their surroundings. Sensory play is particularly rewarding for autistic children and we have selected items to aid with intellectual, social and emotional development, sensory development, sensory stimulation, self-expression and memory skills.


We still have a lot of work to do! And we look forward to updating you of our progress later in the year.


Read our Green Goals for 2024

Latest News

By Kim Boyd December 9, 2024
We are delighted to share that Riverside Holiday Village has been named the Holiday Park of the Year at this year's Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Awards held at Batch Country House at Lympsham in Somerset. This award recognises holiday parks, sites and villages that provide exceptional guest experiences across static vans, touring pitches and more with a wide range of facilities and entertainment. Marketing Executive, Kim Boyd, was also named Unsung Hero . The Unsung Hero Award recognises an individual working for a tourism business who excels in their role and deserves to be applauded for their work and commitment to the industry. Awards Director Nell Barrington said “For many it has been a really challenging year but tonight was all about celebration and recognising those businesses who go above and beyond every day to ensure every visitor has a fantastic, truly memorable experience. It is great that they get recognition for all their efforts and my sincere congratulations go to them for everything they do to put Bristol, Bath, Somerset and beyond on the map.” Giles Adams from VisitSomerset continued “I am delighted that the core ethos and hard work of Somerset tourism businesses is continuously recognised. Our county is all about authenticity and giving value for money. The awards help to ensure that our consumers understand and value what we all represent by recognising and rewarding our quality offer.” Kathryn Davis from VisitWest told us “We are thrilled that so many of our businesses have been rewarded for all their incredible achievements this year with their success at the awards and look forward to seeing some of our winners hopefully progress into the national Visit England for Excellence finals next year. We have so many iconic destinations and world class experiences in the region, it is important to remember to celebrate this, and that tourism doesn’t just happen. It is thanks to the investment, creativity and hard work of these businesses that make our visitor economy so valuable, worth more than £2.5bn just to the West of England. While this sector is largely made up of many small businesses, together they are incredibly powerful and thoroughly deserve the recognition received this evening.” We would like to thank our visitors, supporters and all of our fantastic team for your support.
By Kim Boyd December 2, 2024
We are ecstatic to share that West Country Parks have been named the Hospitality and Tourism Business of the Year at the prestigious Sedgemoor Business Excellence Awards 2024. This award is intended to recognise the Hospitality & Tourism business that is the most successful in Sedgemoor, detailing what makes them stand out from other businesses and how they attract customers to the area. We were also named as finalists for the Sustainable Business Award in recognition of our efforts to reduce our businesses carbon footprint. Speaking about the awards, Roger Smith, General Manager at the Bridgwater Chamber of Commerce, said; 'This year, we’ve received a record-breaking number of high-quality entries, leading to 67 incredible finalists. This outstanding response highlights the immense talent, creativity, and innovation within our local business community'. Commenting after the awards dinner which was held at The Canalside in Bridgwater, David Tattersall, Group Manager at West Country Parks, commented; 'We are thrilled to have been nominated for two awards and it's fantastic to have won one! Our business has progressed a great deal over the last few years, and it's great to have had all of our hard work recognised.' We would like to thank our visitors, supporters and all of our fantastic team for your support. 
By Kim Boyd November 28, 2024
 We are thrilled to share that our family orientated holiday park, Riverside Holiday Village, was crowned winner of the Customer Choice Food Award for Family Fun Destinations at the staycation specialist’s 18th annual Awards – a celebration of the holiday parks, lodge resorts and boating locations in the company’s UK portfolio that have achieved the highest scores in independent guest satisfaction surveys throughout the 2024 season. Commenting after the awards were announced during a ceremony at the Hilton Metropole, in Birmingham David Tattersall, Group Manager at Riverside Holiday Village said: “It’s fantastic to be recognised for the quality of our food and it’s a testament to everyone on the team who works so hard to make sure our guests have the best possible experience when they stay with us. We are very aware that they place an enormous amount of faith in us when they choose where to go on holiday, so it’s great to know we’re getting it right." Speaking after presenting the award in front of more than 600 operators, industry suppliers and members of the Hoseasons team, Gemma Brown, General Manager at Hoseasons, said: “The team at Riverside Holiday Village are shining examples of the dedication and commitment needed to delight our guests and encourage the kind of positive reviews we know others look for when deciding where to spend their staycation. We are grateful for their continuing partnership in this our 80th year and wish them all the best for another successful season in 2025.”
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