Top green honours for family’s Berwick holiday park

Family and staff at a Berwick-upon-Tweed holiday park are celebrating after being told that their wildlife-friendly policies have earned a major environmental accolade.

Ord House Country Park was named this autumn as a winner of the prestigious David Bellamy Conservation award at its top gold level.

It also received two extra commendations from the world-famous botanist for its efforts to protect honey bees, and its success in creating new wild flower habitats.

Owned by the Maguire family for the past 15 years, Ord House was selected for the award following an in-depth audit by David Bellamy’s wildlife assessors.

The 44-acre holiday park, he said, was fully deserving of the honour thanks to a long list of green initiatives taken to hep protect the natural world.

Professor Bellamy made special mention of the large areas of wild flower plantings which provide vital foraging for endangered honey bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

He praised too the management of the park’s wildlife pond which acts as a magnet for a wide range of visiting and resident bird species, and the many bird and bat boxes in the grounds.

Locally-sourced food and drink in Ord House’s new pub also help to reduce food miles and support local producers – and many energy and water saving features are used on the park.

Tourism awards put north Northumberland on the map

David Bellamy also commended the park’s close ties with the local community in and around the village of East Ord where it is located.

Ord House makes its football pitch and playing field available for public use, and invites pupils from nearby schools to explore the grounds and make wildlife discoveries.

Last year, the park raised over £2,000 for a local youth centre as part of its work on behalf of various good causes in the area.

According to company director Gilbert Maguire, a lot of the credit for its latest David Bellamy Conservation Award is owed to the staff at Ord House Country Park:

“Members of our team play a vital role in putting the park’s environmental policies into practise, and they deserve a big thank-you for their year-round efforts,” he said.

“Ord House is located in a stunningly beautiful part of Northumberland, and our aim to ensure that the park is a perfect complement to our beautiful natural surroundings.

“I hope these awards will also help other tourism businesses in the area by putting the spotlight on north Northumberland and the amazing holiday experiences we can offer here,” added Gilbert.

Ord House has won a raft of national awards over the years, including a top five-star grading from VisitEngland and the prestigious five-pennant award from the AA.

The park is also a member of the Best of British group of independent holiday parks which provide the highest standards of quality and service to customers.

There is more information about Ord House and its accommodation options on its website at www.maguirescountryparks.co.uk/ord-house-country-park/