Cornwall holiday park creates buzz with awards hat-trick
Trethem Mill Touring Park in south Cornwall is this autumn celebrating a triple triumph of awards, including an accolade for its work to protect endangered honey bees.
The family-owned business in St Just-in-Roseland celebrated its first honour when judges in the Cornwall Tourism Awards crowned it as the county’s finest caravan and camping park.
At a glittering ceremony in Newquay at the beginning of November, Trethem Mill was announced as the overall gold winner in the camping & caravanning parks category of the awards.
Stepping up to receive their trophy were park owners Ian and Jane Akeroyd who, with their family run the popular park located on the Roseland Peninsula.
Covering 12 acres of tranquil countryside, Trethem Mill attracts thousands of camping and touring caravan visitors each year from the UK and overseas.
The park’s environmental policies were marked in the second of the accolades it received this month from world-famous botanist David Bellamy.
Professor Bellamy presented the park with his prestigious Conservation Award at its top gold level, recognising the raft of initiatives taken to safeguard the natural world.
The hat trick of accolades was completed when David Bellamy also designated Trethem Mill as an official “Honey Bee Friendly” park as part of his new initiative to prevent the insects’ decline.
He praised the park’s extensive sowings of high nectar-bearing flowers which provide vital foraging resources for both honey bees and common and less familiar butterflies.
He commended the park’s planting of many native trees and shrubs, and the siting of nesting boxes for the wide range of different resident and visiting bird species the park attracts.
Trethem Mill also harvests rainwater for the irrigation of plants, has low-level illumination so that guests can enjoy the night sky, and uses locally quarried stone in various features.
Professor Bellamy noted too the park’s community involvement which includes collecting for Cornwall Air Ambulance, and providing support for local arts and flower festivals.
Ian and Jane first moved to Trethem Mill with Ian’s parents – Derek and Lorna – 24 years ago, and Jane says the park’s success has been very much the result of a team effort:
“Very sadly, Lorna passed away earlier this year – but she believed strongly, as we all do, in trying to make Trethem Mill a place for creating truly memorable holiday experiences,” said Jane.
“We would like to see these awards as a tribute to her passion for this part of Cornwall, and to making the park a match for these beautiful surroundings.
“It’s also wonderful to know that our efforts are being supported by someone like David Bellamy, and we’re looking forward to another amazing year when we re-open next April!” she added.
More details about Trethem Mill can be found on its website at www.trethem.com
