Triple triumph for York family’s island holiday park
Staff, guests and the family owners of York’s Weir Holiday Park are celebrating after receiving a hat-trick of awards this autumn.
Sited on an island on the River Derwent in Stamford Bridge, the park’s accolades trumpet its high quality standards and successful efforts to protect the natural world.
Underlining the business’s green credentials is the prestigious David Bellamy Conservation Award 2016, presented to the park by the world-famous television botanist.
Professor Bellamy congratulated David and Christine Hind, owners of the park for over 25 years, on achieving the award at its highest gold level.
Weir’s next honour came in the form of a top gold award from Yorkshire in Bloom after it beat stiff competition to take first place in the holiday park category of the contest.
Next, the park learned that VisitEngland inspectors this year had once again awarded it a four-star grading.
The accolades have a special significance for David and Christine as their park has now recovered after being flooded during last winter’s storms.
Fears that Weir’s abundant wildlife would have been affected by the deluge have proved groundless, said Christine, and the flora and fauna is now back to full strength.
The park’s gold David Bellamy award, made for the third year in succession, recognises the raft of initiatives taken by the couple to protect and enhance the natural world.
Professor Bellamy applauded especially the large number of high nectar-bearing flowers introduced to the park which provide vital foraging resources for insects.
The blooms attract both endangered honey bees, and a wide variety of different butterfly species.
He praised too the park’s ecological management of its river banks, and of the lake at its heart which acts as a magnet for a wide range of aquatic species from otters to dragonflies and water fowl.
David and Christine have also planted many native trees, shrubs and hedging which provide wildlife habitats, and installed bird, bat and owl boxes around the grounds.
Also highlighted by David Bellamy is the park’s use of shielded illumination which minimises light pollution and enables visitors to enjoy the night sky.
Commended too is the park’s close links with the community, including the local cricket team, and its charity fundraising for Yorkshire-based causes.
Weir holiday park provides luxury caravan holiday homes to rent and to own, plus pitches for guests bring a touring caravan, motorhome or tent.
According to Christine, the three honours received by the park are the icing on the cake after an especially busy summer:
“We have always tried to run Weir Holiday Park along sustainable lines, and we receive incredible support from our loyal and hard-working staff team,” she said.
“It’s great to be able to live and work in this lovely part of Yorkshire, and to know that we are being supported in our efforts by someone like David Bellamy.
“Now we intend to use these awards to help publicise the region as a whole, and to put the spotlight on what a wonderful place it is to take a holiday,” added Christine.
There is more information about Weir Holiday Park, and its sister business Allerton Holiday Park in Knaresborough, at www.yorkshireholidayparks.co.uk
