Dales holiday park’s great green day brings charity windfall

Crafts, cakes and eco-friendly cups have helped raise over £1,000 for charity at a North Yorkshire holiday park‘s green-themed fete this summer.

Riverside Caravan Park in the village of High Bentham was the setting for the annual event which drew hundreds of local residents and holiday guests.

This year’s theme was “living in a sustainable world” which was mirrored by many of the stalls and activities set up in the grounds of the family-owned park.

Hand-made jewellery, cards and gifts were among the handicrafts on offer, all produced in the region, along with locally-sourced food and snacks from cakes to bacon butties.

Also being lapped up were reusable bamboo cups from the Bentham Environmentally Sustainable Town (BEST) group which coffee-lovers can use to strike a blow against plastic waste.

Riverside Caravan Park donates over £1,000 to the British Heart Foundation

All of the proceeds from the gala day, just over £1,000, are being donated by Riverside Caravan Park to the British Heart Foundation, one of the charities the business supports.

The park first began welcoming camping guests in 1969, and today provides holiday homes to own as well as pitches for touring caravans and motorhomes.

Thomas Marshall, whose father founded the business, said that sustainability was a subject close to many people’s hearts, and fitted very well with the fete’s focus this year.

Riverside Caravan Park has been praised by botanist David Bellamy for its care of the natural world, and has been presented with his prestigious conservation award at its highest gold level.

“Our fete is an eagerly awaited event, both by holiday home owners and the local community, and this year’s was about the biggest and best-attended to date!” said Thomas.

“We particularly wanted it to showcase crafts and skills from the area, as well as items of delicious local produce which hasn’t had to travel hundreds of food miles.

“But best of all, everyone had a really good time and put their hands deep into their pockets for a very worthy cause,” he added.

Thomas and his wife Jane are helped in the running of their business by their daughter Isabel. There is more information about the park at www.riversidecaravanpark.co.uk