NE holiday parks raise smiles and charity cash down memory lane
Happy holiday memories recalled during lockdown have so far raised more than £4,000 for charity, thanks to a NE holiday parks group based in Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Family-run Maguires Country Parks has been challenging customers to name the three top places they are most looking forward to re-visiting when it’s safe to do so.
At the same time, they are also asked to make a donation to the Intensive Care Society via Maguires’s Just Giving page to help support the charity’s life-saving work.
According to director of the seven-strong parks group Gilbert Maguire, the response has been both phenomenal and heartwarming:
“When parks were required to close down in March, we knew from customer feedback that many were badly missing their favourite holiday haunts,” said Gilbert.
“So we thought it would be a great idea to invite them to share their post-lockdown dreams with others through our social media pages such as Facebook.
“We had just two conditions – that customers choose locations in Britain, and that they make a donation to the Intensive Care Society, no matter how small.
“After just a few weeks, Just Giving told us we were featuring among the top three percent of fundraisers on their website, and the total just kept on growing.
“We intend to keep the wish list going until we re-open in early July, and we’ll then be able to celebrate the grand total with our customers,” added Gilbert.
Customers return for holiday staycations
He said that managers and staff at all Maguires’s holiday parks were greatly looking forward to when guests are able to return.
Measures are already in place, said Gilbert, to ensure customers can enjoy complete peace of mind that the maximum is being done to ensure their safety.
The group’s parks, all graded five-star by Visit England, are based in tranquil rural locations in Northumberland, County Durham and North Yorkshire.
They have also all received the prestigious David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level for the many environmental and wildlife projects carried out.
The Maguire family founded their business almost 40 years ago, and its parks variously provide holiday homes to own and rent, plus luxury glamping accommodation.
There are also pitches for touring caravans, motorhomes and tents – and in 2020 the group was voted the top destination in the North East by the readers of Practical Caravan magazine.
There is more information about Maguires parks, and the different staying options provided, on its website at www.maguirescountryparks.co.uk
Donations to the Intensive Care Society through the group’s fundraising initiative can be made at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/maguires-country-parks
