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Camping and Caravanning Club win three gold rosettes for 2011

The David Bellamy Conservation Awards are named after the famed TV botanist (pictured left)

by Marcus Dubois

The Camping and Caravanning Club has triumphed again in this year’s David Bellamy Conservation Awards achieving three gold rosettes for 2011.

Club Sites that were lauded for “the exceptional lengths they have gone to in order to protect and enhance the natural environment” are Corfe Castle (Dorset), Delamere Forest (Cheshire) and Oban (Scotland).

The Friendly Club also received a silver rosette for the Chipping Norton Club Site in Oxfordshire.

“A commitment to environmental excellence”

Awards assessor Tom Pridmore commented on the success of the Cheshire site and noted “the commitment to environmental excellence at Delamere Forest is evident on arrival with the park obviously an integral part of the adjacent forest park. The managers are clearly striving to develop and improve the park in harmony with nature.”

Meanwhile, Oban and Corfe Castle Club Sites were also commended by their respective assessors for being good neighbours, as well as for their sustainability and ecological management.

Bellamy himself added: “2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and the sites can be proud of the fact that they are doing vital work for Britain’s environment and wildlife.”

Caravan sites for conservationists

An impressive seventy-seven percent of the Club’s site entries have achieved gold rosettes since the Club first entered the Awards Scheme in 2002.

Bob Hill is the Sites Director of the Friendly Club, and he was proud of the “fantastic achievement” for the Club while immediately looking to the future.

“We are continuously working to develop our site facilities to ensure that they are environmentally friendly and this is a great indication of our efforts so far.”

David Bellamy Conservation Awards are given to those sites that have shown the steps they have taken to; support their local community, manage their land as a haven for wildlife, lessen their use of energy, water and other resources and reduce, reuse and recycle the waste they produce.
The David Bellamy Conservation Award scheme is one of the longest running green tourism awards in the UK and is a joint partnership between the Conservation Foundation and the British Holiday & Homes Parks Association.

If you’re interested in staying on any of the Club’s gold rosette-winning sites, then inquiries can be made via the Club’s Contact Centre on 0845 130 7633 or 024 7647 5426. Alternatively via the website: campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk