NCCW Roadshow to visit caravan dealerships for first time

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by Tom Leaning

The Shrewsbury-based caravan and motorhome dealership, Salop Leisure, has been chosen as one of five locations for a ‘Share the Moment’ Roadshow during the National Camping and Caravanning Week (NCCW) from 29 May to 4 June.

Organised by the Camping and Caravanning Club, the roadshow will visit Salop Leisure’s Emstrey headquarters on 31 May and aims to bring to life the joys of camping and caravanning so that visitors can share their memories and experiences with loved-ones.

A wide range of activities will be laid on during the roadshow and a chef will prepare tasty dishes cooked on an outdoor camping stove for visitors to try.

Activities include a climbing wall, survival skills, Vango AirBeam Challenge, Hyundai and Base camp competition, Truma and Powrtouch children’s craft tent, Thetford mini golf, the Swift Scalextrix’s caravan towing challenge and face painting. In addition, Polly’s Parlour will be serving ice cream during the day.

Camping and Caravanning Club’s exhibition unit will be available for people can find out about different camping destinations and the benefits of being part of the club.

There will also be a chance to win a camping or caravanning break in a ‘Sharing the Moment’ competition, which will be open to people visiting the roadshow.

“It’s the first time the National Camping and Caravanning Week roadshow has visited caravan dealerships and we are delighted to be one of only five venues across the UK chosen to host an event,” said Ed Glover, Salop Leisure’s marketing manager. “It promises to be great fun for all the family.”

Here’s more info about next week’s National Camping and Caravanning Week

Harvey Alexander interview: People are falling back in love with touring the UK

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by Tom Leaning

CaravanTimes recently caught up with Harvey Alexander, Director of Marketing at the Caravan and Motorhome Club, who has just returned from participating in the JustGo motorhome re-location programme with his family.

Mr Alexander also discussed what he attributes the Club’s record year (2016) to, in terms of member retention and acquisition, what he believes clubs and organisations can do to continue this growth and how the Club is attracting younger members.

Here’s the interview transcript below:

On his JustGo motorhome re-location holiday:

“We picked up a motorhome from a company called JustGo, and drove it back through Italy, Switzerland and France, stopping at 4-5 of our sites along the way, and brought it to the UK where it will spend another year touring the UK.”

On how long the holiday took and what the highlights were:

“So, you can take anywhere from up to 14 days. We took 5 days. Some of the highlights were just the driving through Italy and Switzerland, which was inspiring. It wasn’t a chore at all. When you think of driving around the M25 on a bank holiday, it sends a shiver down your spine. But when you’re out there in a motorhome, you’re high up and you’re touring and you’re really stopping wherever you feel you want to. It was just amazing. We stayed at some really stunning sites: one on the edge of Lake Como, where you’re literally by the water, lovely surroundings, there’s mountains in the background, the kids were playing football outside the motorhome, as they do. And then, from there we went on through Switzerland and ended up in the Morvan forest in France – again, one of the most stunning landscapes you’ll see. And we stayed at this tiny little site, with probably 20 or more pitches; just a really lovely setting in the forest, a fishing lake at the bottom of the site. [It just us] the ability to escape the pace of everyday life, to simplify things and get back to nature – it was just incredible, a real treat.

On the JustGo motorhome re-location programme:

“JustGo offer this to anyone who wants to try and drive a motorhome across Europe. They do it every year to bring their new fleet back to the UK, and we did it as a bit of a trial for our members to really see how we can make that the best experience it can be, in terms of getting the right routes for people, and giving them the opportunity to build their memories.”

On what he attributes the CAMC’s record year (2016) to, in terms of member retention and the acquisition of new members:

“It’s really interesting. We’ve seen record amounts of new members joining. Also, we’ve seen 90 per cent of existing members staying with The Club. And I suppose what’s most important to us is the fact that we’ve had a record amount of members touring our sites network across the UK. So I think it really comes down to our members loving what they’re doing, and enjoying it so much that they’re extending their season. Our last quarter of 2016 – October, November, December – was one of our best last quarters ever. So, it’s just incredible. We’ve got 40 per cent of members coming in who own a motorhome now, which is really interesting because they’re changing the dynamic and we’re seeing that motorhomers tour later into the season, which is great. So, we need to make sure that our sites are ready for the caravanners and the motorhomers, trailer-tents, whoever wants to come, but making sure we’re always staying relevant for that touring member.”

On what clubs and organisations can do to make sure these positive results continue:

“Well, I suppose the key thing, in this digital age, is we’ve got to keep inspiring people to get out there and enjoy the great outdoors. It’s about recharging. We attribute quite a lot of the increase down to shorter breaks. We have members who love their summer holidays with the Club or their Easter breaks, but it’s also down to the members who decide on a Friday night who say “d’you know what? Let’s just go away for a few days this weekend. Let’s recharge. Let’s get back to nature, and enjoy ourselves” rather than getting caught in that daily grind. We all feel that it all goes too quick and you’ve never got enough time to do anything, but I find myself if you just put that bit of effort in to just stop, go away – it doesn’t even have to be that far – I live in Rochester and we’ve got some wonderful sites around Kent. I go to Daleacres in Hythe or Bearsted – they’re literally 45 minutes away. But what it means is we can go and we can be in the middle of a lovely countryside park, within for 40 mins to an hour, where we’re just enjoying time as a family.”

On attracting younger members:

“I think that if you go around any of the shows and you look at these caravans and motorhomes, they’re anything but basic. They are homes from home. Some of them offer more luxury than their own homes. And I think that the fact is with all the latest mod-cons where you’ve got the proper heating in there, you’ve got cooking facilities, you’ve got digital [equipment] in there. It just helps people enjoy the great outdoors without feeling compromise. We’ve just come off the back of sponsoring the UK surfing championships down in Cornwall. The age group there is obviously not a typical age group for the Club, but they all love Club sites, they all love being part of the Club because we’ve got 40-odd locations that are near the greatest surfing resorts across the UK. So, I think it’s about being relevant for members and those people thinking of joining and creating that relevancy for them because there has been a stigma attached in the past that [the Club] was just for retired people, but I’m 40+ with a young family, and I guarantee you the best holidays we have are when we get the motorhome out or the caravan and we go down to the coast and we just have a great weekend.”

On falling back in love with the UK:

“We have recognised that people are starting to enjoy the UK more. They’re falling back in love with the UK. And that’s really the spirit of the Club in terms of touring. So, I think it’s important to recognise that, that they’re so much on our doorstep to explore.”

For more information about the JustGo motorhome relocation programme, visit: www.justgo.co.uk/relocation

Bailey relocates its Large Panel Laminating Plant to Somerset

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by Tom Leaning

Bailey of Bristol has relocated its Large Panel Laminating Plant to a new site in Clevedon, North Somerset, as part of a larger scheme to enable the future re-development of the company’s South Liberty Lane production facility. This is the second business unit to be moved from the main site following the relocation of the Bailey Parts Direct operation to North Bristol twelve months ago.

The new plant is housed in a modern 3,250+ sqm manufacturing building that accommodates four state of the art laminating lines capable of producing 1,500+ body shell panels (floors, sides, and ceilings) per week. Deliveries are made daily to the company’s main production facility in South Bristol (12-mile journey) and monthly to its Australian plant in Melbourne (12,000-mile journey). Over 80 Bailey employees now work in Clevedon, half of whom have relocated from Bristol and half of whom have been recruited from the local area. The total cost of the relocation project was £4.5 million.

All Bailey leisure vehicles are manufactured using the company’s patented Alu-Tech construction system, which, unlike conventionally built caravans and motorhomes, requires the use of fully bonded laminated panels throughout the assembly. This gives the overall structure far greater strength and rigidity as well as providing the vehicle with superior thermal insulation properties.

This fact combined with the ever-increasing demand for Bailey leisure vehicles puts added pressure on the company’s Lamination Plant, which is why the company invested £2 million in the latest computer controlled capital equipment to enhance both production efficiency and accuracy.

The manufacturing process begins with the assembly of the panel components on a laser-guided jig for improved accuracy and consistency. This assembly is then bonded together using a bead application system featuring a water-based agent to provide a superior bond before the panels are then individually loaded into separate ‘multi-daylight’ vacuum presses again to maximise bond integrity. Once the lamination process is complete, the resulting body shell panels are machined for final assembly on a fully automated CNC Router.

As a result, this state of the art production plant is now capable of producing a finished fully laminated body shell panel every two minutes, making it the most advanced facility of its kind in the industry.

Commenting on this latest development, Managing Director Nick Howard said; “the relocation of our Large Panel Laminating Plant to larger purpose-built premises off-site is one of a series of initiatives we are currently undertaking to move our business and indeed our industry forward”.

“New investment in state of the art manufacturing equipment and a skilled salaried workforce will also ensure that we continue to offer new and existing customers a premium product to help fuel further growth in demand for Bailey leisure vehicles” he added.

Marquis lends a hand to majestic cause

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by Tom Leaning

Marquis have pledged their support for the Alex Wardle Foundation and the Lily Mae Foundation with a Majestic 196 motorhome for the duration of the Alex Wardle Tour which started this week. Two local rugby men from Hampshire, Paul O’Reilly and Paul Jones, will be cycling a 1000 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End to raise awareness of the work by the Alex Wardle Foundation and raise money in support of the two worthy charities.

The Alex Wardle Foundation Fund was set up in memory of Alex Wardle, who passed away in March 2016 from Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS). The foundation aims to raise awareness of the condition and to fund cardiac projects in the community for example, screening events and supplying defibrillators.

Alex Wardle joined 1350 (Fareham & District) Squadron, Royal Air Force Air Cadets at age thirteen and his career progressed through until he left for university to study medicine. During his career he participated in most of the activities open to him, most popular with him were fieldcraft and shooting but his main passion was his sport, specifically rugby – which he represented both his Squadron, Wing, Region and ultimately the Air Training Corps. Speaking fondly in memory of Alex, Steve Riggs who is Marquis’s Logistics Manager and knew Alex said “Alex was a friendly, affable, sociable and driven individual who was committed to focussing on his career ahead. He was well liked by all.”

The Lily Mae Foundation supports Parents and Families who have tragically and traumatically lost a baby to Stillbirth or to Neonatal Death. Despite its frequency, there is very little public perception of the devastating impact of Stillbirth and Neonatal Death on Parents and their Families.’ Money raised will be split between these two charities.

CaravanTimes wish the team luck and if you would like to donate and support this worthy event please visit www.justgiving.com

Addy Family revel in being new Elddis caravan owners

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by Tom Leaning

Check out this latest #ADayintheLife official video from Elddis Caravans Motorhomes, and meet the Addy Family from Sheffield. Follow their journey from choosing their first caravan to travelling down to Norfolk to spend a holiday at The Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

The latest Day in the Life video from Elddis begins with the Addy family finding and buying a new Elddis Supreme 840 caravan at an Elddis Factory Open Weekend. We then see the official handover at the Preston Caravans & Motorhome dealership, and finally find the Addys on their first holiday at The Sandringham Estate Caravan and Motorhome Club Site in Norfolk.

Hundreds of families around the UK are discovering the possibilities of holidaying with a caravan or a motorhome – why don’t you?

Caravan park owners celebrate Wales Tourism Week

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by Tom Leaning

We’re celebrating Wales Tourism Week (15-21 May), and caravan park owners have been using this opportunity to ask customers what they want out of a holiday to the beautiful Celtic nation.

Customers told park owners that they were seeking an experience as well as a quality location when they choose a caravan or camping holiday in Wales, during an event organised to celebrate Wales Tourism Week.

Caravan park owners, tourism leaders, Assembly Member Russell George, Shadow Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, Glyn Davies, prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate for Montgomeryshire and university graduates attended the event in Machynlleth organised by British Holiday and Home Park Association’s Mid Wales branch.

A tour of the five-star Morben Isaf Holiday Park at Derwenlas was followed by visits to Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust’s Dyfi Osprey Project, caravan dealership Salop Leisure’s Machynlleth sales centre and Plas Dolguog Hotel, where there was a tour of solar panel and biomass systems.

Speakers included Rufus Bellamy, son of famous botanist and environmental campaigner, David Bellamy, Dr Brian Garrod, head of tourism at Aberystwyth University, Glyn Roberts, head of quality development and operations at Visit Wales, Dylan Roberts, managing director of Salop Leisure, Val Hawkins, MWT Cymru chief executive, Richard Rhodes, director of the BH & HPA’s Mid Wales branch and Mr George.

Visit Wales data shows that quality standards on caravan parks in Wales are constantly rising to match customer expectations. Seventy-seven per cent of parks achieved four and five star gradings in 2017 compared to 72 per cent in five years ago.

Caravanners and campers spent £428 million in Wales in 2015 when there were 2.6 million visits. The prime months for visitors were from May to August with 63 per cent attracted by the seaside, 23 per cent by the countryside and 14 per cent by small towns. A quarter of all visitors to Wales stayed in caravans or camping accommodation.

More than half – 52 per cent – of caravan and camping businesses welcomed more visitors last year and 87 per cent of them are confidently looking forward to 2017. Occupancy rate from April to October was 82 per cent for caravan holiday homes and 28 per cent for touring caravan and camping pitches.

Dylan Roberts confirmed how important customer experience had become to the industry. Many park owners were now organising activities, such as guided beachcombing, artist classes fishing and cycling, for customers.

Local businesses, such as pubs, restaurant, shops, café, petrol and tourist attractions, all benefit from the spending power of caravan holiday home owners,

“The trend is to create a community within your park so that owners want to visit their caravans and the local area more than to stay at home,” he added.

Mr Rhodes said it was important that customers staying on parks had a range of interesting things to do, which highlighted the need for quality local attractions.

Mr Bellamy, who now manages the David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme and is the BH&HPA’s national adviser on conservation and environmental management, said the award scheme was very much a partnership between his father and the industry to celebrate what is being done to help individual parks to improve.

He was impressed to see the partnership between Morben Isaf Holiday Park and the Dyfi Osprey Project. He said there was a lovely balance between managed parkland and wild areas on the park that allowed holidaymakers to get close to wildlife.

Kim Williams, Dyfi Osprey Project officer, spoke of the good relationship between the project and the holiday park. She said tourism was crucial to the project, which attracts around 40,000 visitors and is now self-funding.

“Without tourism we wouldn’t be here,” she said. “We do draw people from the local community, but the majority of our visitors are tourists.”

Mrs Hawkins outlined the work of MWT Cymru to promote Mid Wales as a tourism destination. She said the partnership between Morben Isaf Holiday Park and the Dyfi Osprey Project was an excellent example of collaboration and helped to showcase what the Dyfi Biosphere has to offer visitors.

Mr George said: “More tourists than ever before are visiting Mid Wales to see what our wonderful region has to offer with its world-renowned heritage sites, fantastic food and drink, the coastal path, beautiful market towns and fantastic mountain ranges.

“It has a countryside other holiday regions in Britain would die for and I want to see the Welsh Government shout about these assets from the roof tops. Tourism habits are changing and Mid Wales is well-placed to benefit from this, but only with the right action plan which will allow the tourism industry in the region to flourish and reach its full potential.”

Dr Garrod stressed the importance of Wales Tourism Week for bringing together stakeholders from across the tourism industry to work collaboratively.

As the UK moves to leave the European Union, he said it was important that universities and training providers collaborate with the tourism industry to prepare to fill any skills gaps that could be left in the workforce by European workers leaving following Brexit.

Wales Tourism Week is organised by the Wales Tourism Alliance (WTA), the voice of the tourism industry in Wales, in association with Visit Wales and the tourism industry. This year’s theme is a ‘celebration of our tourism heroes’.

Paragon Car Finance launches caravan funding

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by Tom Leaning

After successfully entering the motorhome market last year, Paragon Car Finance has announced the launch of a caravan financing product. The product aims to replicate the formula which has led to success in the motorhome market, and bring greater choice to the caravan finance market.

Finance for caravans will be available at competitive rates over terms of up to ten years. The launch comes on the back of strong demand for a caravan product from Paragon Car Finance, which will allow brokers to offer greater choice on the forecourt.

Julian Rance, Head of Paragon Car Finance, said: “Since launching our motorhome product last year we have had an incredibly positive response, and extending our offer into the caravan market seems like a natural next step. There has been strong demand for us to bring a caravan product to market, and help cater to the UK’s growing leisure vehicle market.

“We are confident that our bespoke underwriting, competitive rates and the direct access we offer to our underwriting team, will ensure we replicate the success we’ve had in the motorhome market with this new product.

“We also feel now is the right time to bring more choice to the caravan finance market, allowing customers a greater range of options.”

For more information on how Paragon Car Finance can help you buy your next caravan or motorhome, visit: Paragon Car Finance

Editor’s Comment

We at CaravanTimes feel that this is good news for future caravan and motorhome-owners. Creating additional financing products to help customers buy (possibly their first) leisure vehicles creates much needed competition in the UK market, that currently has Lloyds Banking Group’s Black Horse as it’s market leader.

BLOG: CaravanTimes spends the day with Bailey at Millbrook

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by Tom Leaning

CaravanTimes spent a glorious day at Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire this week, as we followed Bailey of Bristol putting one of their caravans through its paces, performing thorough tests and checks all over the 700 acre site.

It was a surreal experience to be filming a Bailey caravan being tested to its limits round Millbrook, while Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Aston Martins and Rolls Royces were sharing the same tracks and roads as us – at considerably faster speeds of course!

Caravan testing at Millbrook involves driving over cobbled stone roads, pavement curbs, diagonal speed bumps and round speed tracks. All of these procedures are designed to test the strength and durability of each caravan’s chassises and individual components, in order to comply with government safety regulations, so caravanners like you won’t experience problems out on the open roads. Each caravan is put through 100 hours of individual testing.

We even caught up with Millbrook’s Chief Commercial Officer, Jonathan Eaton, who discussed the history of the site, the importance of testing leisure vehicles and how testing has developed over the years and what features he believes can improve comfort and safety in caravans and motorhomes in the future.

This interview and our adventures at Millbrook will all be available to view on the CaravanTimes website and social pages next week, so please keep an eye for them – in the meantime, have a wonderful weekend!

Mountain Rescue provides outdoor adventurers with top tips for mobile phone survival

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by Tom Leaning

To support outdoor adventurers looking to take advantage of the British summer, consumer batteries manufacturer VARTA has released a free downloadable infographic, Powering up in the Sunshine, featuring guidance on maximising your mobile for emergencies.

More than 50 per cent of the call-outs to the volunteers at Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW) and the British Cave Rescue Council (BCRC) every year come from mobile devices. But battery power continues to be a challenge and a failed call can mean significant delays in finding an injured walker or camper.

Containing information about powerbank capacity, top tips to get a call through in remote locations and details on how to sign up to the EmergencySMS service, the experts at MREW are keen to stress that planning a walk or camping trip properly can help save lives. Alongside dressing appropriately, taking a back-up map and ensuring you have enough food and drink, the volunteer organisation advises that mobile phones can make a significant difference.

Andy Simpson for MREW, said: “We all know that the British weather can be somewhat unpredictable. Spring meadows and clear summer skies can provide an incredible backdrop to a ramble or outdoor sports challenge, but it can be just as easy to go off course, get lost or become injured in the sunshine as it is in the snow. To enjoy the countryside at its finest, it is important to be prepared.

“Mobile phones have something of a mixed reputation in the outdoors community and they should never be your only way of navigating or summoning help. However, they are becoming much more reliable and, with investment in SARLOC, mobile devices are now a lot more useful when it comes to pinpointing locations. There are, however, a few simple things you can do – like making sure they are charged, carrying spare power, registering with the EmergencySMS service and so on – that can make a real difference. We’re delighted that VARTA is helping us to spread this vital message.”

Drink drive casualties rise on 50th anniversary of Road Safety Act

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by Tom Leaning

It’s 50 years ago (May 1967) that a blood alcohol limit for drivers was first introduced in the UK, yet Government figures suggest drink drive casualties are on the rise.

Provisional statistics for 2015 (the latest data available) from the Department for Transport indicate that 1,380 people were killed or seriously injured in accidents where at least one driver was over the limit – up 5 per cent on the previous year.

There has also been a rise in drink drive casualties of all severities. The estimate for 2015 is 8,480 – a 3 per cent increase compared with 2014*

Police carried out over half a million (520,219) roadside breath tests in 2015, with more than 60,000 drivers and riders (one in eight of those tested) failing or refusing to take the test**

The Road Safety Act of 1967 set the maximum limit at 80mg of alcohol per 100mL of blood (0.35mg of alcohol per litre of breath). It became an offence for the first time to drive, attempt to drive or be in charge of a motor vehicle with a blood or breath alcohol concentration exceeding that limit.

The 80mg per 100mL limit was based on evidence that a road accident is more likely to happen at or above this level. But more recent evidence shows that drivers are impaired below this limit.

With just 10mg per 100mL (one-eighth of the current English limit) you are 37 per cent more likely to be involved in a fatal road accident than when sober***. At the lower Scottish limit of 50mg per 100mL of blood you are 5 times more likely and at the current English limit you are 13 times more likely to be in a fatal crash****.

“It has now become socially unacceptable in most circles to drive whilst over the limit,” comments Hunter Abbott, Advisor to the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety and Managing Director of self-test breathalyser firm AlcoSense Laboratories.

“Most people now know that if they go out drinking, they leave the car keys at home, but there’s a wide misunderstanding about how long alcohol can stay in the system the morning after. Sleeping does not hit a ‘reset’ button – you process alcohol at the same rate whether you’re awake or asleep. The speed at which alcohol is eliminated varies considerably, influenced by factors such as size, health, metabolism and how much you have eaten.

“So it’s easier than you think to unintentionally drink drive the next morning, or to drive unaware that there is still enough alcohol in your system to dramatically increase your chances of being in a fatal road accident. The only way to know you’re clear is either to abstain from alcohol completely or to use an accurate personal breathalyser such as the AlcoSense Excel, which gives detailed alcohol concentration readings”.

Richard Allsop, Emeritus Professor of Transport Studies at University College London, undertook the original statistical analysis that advised then Transport Minister Barbara Castle to determine the 80mg per 100mL limit.

He says: “None of us knows whether we are one of the thousands of lives saved in Britain over the past 50 years, but as we rejoice for them, we should not forget those who are being killed by drink driving at levels below the outdated limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland of 80mg/100mL”.

The introduction of the police breathalyser in 1967 helped the percentage of road traffic accidents where alcohol had been a factor to drop from 25 per cent to 15 per cent in the first year.

Way back in 1872 it had become an offence to be drunk in charge of cattle, steam engines or carriages – the penalty being a fine up to 40 shillings (£2) or imprisonment with or without hard labour.

Ninety years later, the Road Traffic Act of 1962 made it an offence to drive if your “ability to drive properly was for the time being impaired” – but no legal drink drive limit was set until 1967.

Prior to that, drink driving prosecutions had relied on subjective tests such as whether you could walk down a white line painted on the floor without wobbling or touch your nose with your eyes shut, along with other observations made by police surgeons and witness statements.

Following the passing of the Road Safety Act on 10 May 1967, the new drink driving law came into force on 8 October that year.

“There is no doubt that decades of Government-funded education and enforcement have saved thousands of lives. But we currently have the highest drink drive limit in the developed world. Lowering that limit based on newer research could save many more lives,” concludes AlcoSense’s Abbott.

* Department for Transport (2017) ‘Reported road casualties in Great Britain: Estimates for accidents involving illegal alcohol levels: 2015 (second provisional)’

** Home Office (2016) ‘Police powers and procedures, England and Wales, year ending 31 March 2016’

*** “Drugs and Alcohol: Their Relative Crash Risk”, Romano et al. Published January 2014 in the “Journal of Studies on Alcohol Drugs”. Page 6, Table 6, BAC Model 1, Average of the odds of all age ranges at 0.01 per centBAC blood alcohol content (1.45 + 1.37 + 1.29)/3 = 1.37), expressed as a percentage of 37 per cent increase in likelihood.

**** Romano et al, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Maryland and Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Puerto Rico: ‘Drugs and Alcohol: Their Relative Crash Risk’, Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, Jan. 2014.

Bird-friendly New Forest camping park honoured at green awards

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by Tom Leaning

A New Forest camping park is flying high after birds, honey bees and butterflies helped wing it to a top environmental accolade from David Bellamy.

The world-famous botanist has presented Red Shoot Camping Park near Ringwood in Hampshire with his prestigious David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level.

Professor Bellamy said the park’s owners, Jaqui and Nick Oldfield, have shown themselves to be true friends of the countryside through their careful eco-management policies.

It was originally Jaqui’s grandparents, Doris and Bunny, who first started welcoming camping guests to the four-acre park they opened almost half a century ago.

Jaqui’s parents Sonia and Robin then took it on, and for the past 18 years Jaqui and Nick have been at the helm and ensuring that Red Shoot remains a truly green business.

Professor Bellamy praised the park’s planting of hundreds of native hedging plants which provide valuable habitats and food resources for many animal and bird species.

He also commended the park’s sowings of wild flowers with high nectar-bearing blooms on which honey bees, butterflies and other pollinators can forage.

Jaqui and Nick have also installed bird and bat boxes around the grounds, and created two insect houses which help supplement the diet of feathered guests.

Low level lighting helps holidaymakers enjoy the night sky, and the park’s shop minimises the food miles of its stock by favouring local producers and suppliers.

David Bellamy said his award also highlighted tourism businesses acting as good neighbours to the local community, and that Red Shoot excelled here too.

It maintains close links with local schools and provides free and subsidised camping opportunities for youngsters, including those taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme.

Jaqui and Nick have also partnered with the British Heart Foundation to install a defibrillator on the park for use by the local community, and raise funds for various good causes.

Set in tranquil countryside, Red Shoot provides 100-plus pitches for campers and the owners of touring caravans and motorhomes, as well as a holiday cottage to rent.

“Red Shoot has a special appeal to holidaymakers who enjoy natural and unspoiled surroundings, and David Bellamy’s award underlines this crucial aspect of our park,” said Jaqui.

“It’s a real privilege to live and work in this wonderful part of Hampshire, and great to know that our efforts are being supported by someone like him.

“Hopefully our award will benefit other tourism businesses as well by highlighting what a wonderful place the New Forest is enjoy a back-to-nature holiday!” added Jaqui.

There is more information about the park at www.redshoot-campingpark.com

Caravan and Motorhome Club introduce glamping pods and yurts

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by Tom Leaning

The Caravan and Motorhome Club has announced that glamping pods and yurts are being introduced to Club sites over the summer.

Together with the existing wooden camping pods, there’s now even more on-site accommodation to choose from for friends and families.

The new glamping pods and yurts offer a comfortable, cosy glamping experience in natural surroundings. They come kitted out with all the essentials*, including bedding, lighting, heating, kitchen equipment such as cutlery, pots and pans and a gas BBQ out on the veranda.

Both the glamping pods and yurts sleep two adults and two children. They also come with cupboards, hanging space and outdoor storage for wet, muddy shoes.

Abbey Wood, Coniston Park Coppice and Alderstead Heath are the first Club sites to offer this new glamping accommodation.

10 per cent discount for Club members

Caravan and Motorhome Club members are entitled to an exclusive saving of 10 per cent on glamping pod and yurt bookings. Three of our sites, Abbey Wood, Coniston Park Coppice and Alderstead Heath will unveil their brand new glamping pods in time for summer and are already starting to take bookings. Yurts will make their first appearance on Alderstead Heath this season.

You can book your stay today by heading to the Club’s sister website, Experience Freedom, where you’ll find additional details on dates, prices, availability, as well as product information, locational information and FAQs.

The 10 per cent discount will be applied automatically during your online booking, simply enter your Caravan and Motorhome Club membership number and proceed to confirm your booking – also don’t forget to show your membership card when you check in on site.

The Club will be unveiling new glamping pods and yurts at additional sites later in the year.

* Details of what’s included in your glamping pod or yurt and what you may need to bring, can be found on the Experience Freedom website.