5 New Year Resolutions for Caravan owners in 2017

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by Tom Leaning

To prepare you all properly for the year ahead, CaravanTimes has asked some Caravan and Motorhome experts to recommend Five New Year Resolutions to promise yourselves this year, to make your 2017 as good as it can be!

In Part 1 of our two part feature, Darren Brown of Broad Lane Leisure has kindly offered his top five recommendations for New Year Resolutions:

1. Use your Caravan more often

“It may be an obvious one, but it is as simple as that. Get out on the road as often as you can and enjoy everything the outdoors has to offer.”

2. Enlighten the uninitiated

“Spread the word about how much fun caravanning is to your friends. Obviously, you don’t go over the top, but be a champion for caravanning and enlighten the uninitiated. There are more people out there than you think who have considered buying a Caravan but have put off making a decision about it until next year. Let them know what they are missing out on!”

3. Let’s give Caravanning some “Street Cred”

“This links back to my second point; Caravanning still lacks street credibility, especially among the younger generations. Let’s encourage people that Caravanning can be cool!”

4. Get families involved

“Caravanning has traditionally been a family activity. Many happy family memories are waiting to be made this year, and by inviting more of your family members along on your next Caravan trip, you’ll be able to share those happy memories with them as well.”

5.Venture to new places

“Caravanning enables us to explore – so do just that! Make sure you visit destinations around the UK – and even further afield – that you’re dying to see. The world is waiting!”

Part 2 in our New Year Resolutions series offers more recommendations to our Motorhome owners.

Daughter raises funds for cancer patient mum who sold caravan to pay for cost of living

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by Tom Leaning

The family of a cancer patient who had to give up her treasured caravan to pay for the cost of living with the disease are appealing to donors to help buy their mother a new vehicle to get her back out on the road again.

According to the Camden New Journal, Stephanie Dawson, 27, of West Hampstead, is hoping to raise £3,000 to buy a second-hand caravan for her mum Andrea, 52, who was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in July.

Her parents, who live in Derbyshire, bought a new caravan in July and were “absolutely obsessed” with it, setting off every weekend with their labrador to explore the countryside.

The short trips allowed Andrea to escape some of the “mental effects” of cancer and Ms Dawson said the weekends in the countryside helped her pull through in some of the harder moments.

But recently the family were told she required further treatment, and the cost of taking time off work meant they had no choice but to sell their treasured caravan.

Ms Dawson said: “Her treatment is all free on the NHS but with having treatment over such a long period, she isn’t able to work at the moment, but you’ve still got the mortgages and the bills to pay for. No one talks about the costs of living with cancer, and the nicer things in life, like a small second-hand caravan, can suddenly get taken away. It was really hard to see it sold because it meant so much to her. It was a big blow.”

Ms Dawson said she decided to launch the campaign because she felt powerless to help her mum, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment and had to spend much of the Christmas holidays in hospital.

“Chemotherapy is so much worse than people tell you. There’s nothing you can do, and there is nothing I can do to make her better.

“But that caravan allowed her a little bit of escapism. But it’s not just about getting her something materialistic, it’s about trying to help her feel normal. For my mum that means fresh air and countryside.”

To donate visit: https://www.gofundme.com/my-mums-chemo-fighter-the-caravan

Loch Lomond clamps down on motorhome wild camping

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By Tom Leaning

From March 2017 new rules will require those planning to wild camp in their campervans or motorhomes in certain areas of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park to obtain a permit in advance.

According to the Scottish National Park, the new permits will be available online, over the phone and from National Park buildings. If you wild camp in the new Camping Management Zones without a permit between 1 March and 30 September each year, you risk a £500 fine.

The rules, which were approved were by Scottish ministers and the Park Authority in late 2015, are aimed at managing the number of people wild camping in certain areas of the park. The four areas covered by the new Camping Management Zones are along the loch shores in west Loch Lomond, east Loch Lomond and north and west Trossachs.

If you want to camp in these areas you will need to stay at a designated campsite or, if you prefer to wild camp, you will need to buy a permit in advance.

The Park Authority confirmed the permits will cost £3 per motorthome/campervan (the same as camping in a tent). It has not confirmed how many permits will be issued each year.

However it did say that, “The Park Authority will provide low-cost, informal opportunities to camp through a mix of informal campsites and by issuing camping permits. Some of these permit areas will have access to basic services like toilets and parking and, where possible, we want to offer places for motorhomes to stop off too.

“Certain sites within the Camping Management Zones are well suited to providing places for visitors in motorhomes to stop overnight. There are both campsite locations and permit areas within the Trossachs North and West Loch Lomond Camping Management Zones, with suitable off-road locations to accommodate motorhomes.

“We’re keen to make sure that motorhome and campervan users have all the information they need to make sure they know what the plans will mean and how they will benefit all visitors to the park.”

It added that the informal campsites will have basic facilities and allocated parking with each pitch booked. Meanwhile those who obtain a permit to wild camp will be able to make use of the “wild loch shore experience with no facilities on site”.

In its development strategy document, the Park Authority added that all those planning to wild camp must always follow the ‘leave no trace’ principles, in line with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

It also stressed that the new rules cover less than 4 per cent of the park’s 720 square miles, so camping in most areas of the park is unaffected by these new camping management zones.

“The sheer number of visitors to our most easily accessible, popular loch shore areas, combined with impacts from antisocial behaviour, is causing significant damage to both the environment and to the local communities whose local economies rely heavily on tourism,” a spokesman said. “The plans will help us to both protect these parts of the National Park from environmental damage and vastly improve the experience for visitors, including for those who come to camp.”

You can find more information about the new motorhome wild camping rules here.

Swift Academy celebrate first graduates

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by Tom Leaning

The achievements of thirty employees have been recognised by Swift Group, the UK caravan and motorhome manufacturer, at their inaugural Swift Academy graduation.

Swift Group launched the Academy in Sept 2015, just over a year later there are over one hundred employees from all areas of the business studying a variety of business and management courses. The thirty graduates are the first to finish their course, and having enjoyed the experience many are looking to progress onto the next study level.

The Swift Academy was introduced as a key component of succession planning at Swift, developing talent from within and ensuring the business has the skills, knowledge and capability to be successful today and in the future. Employees study at a level appropriate to their experience and position and can work their way towards studying for an MBA (Master of Business Administration)

The Swift Academy has also become a key element in recruitment in the company with one of the region’s largest apprenticeship schemes employing ten students a year, along with a degree scholarship programme. Both opportunities enable students to earn while they learn, and Swift always welcomes applications for each.

Managing Director James Turner and Deputy Managing Director Amy Archer handed out the certificates.

‘The development of the Swift Academy was a new venture for Swift and it is tremendous to see what has been achieved for both the company and each person. Studying and working is not easy and requires dedication, a quality we appear to have in abundance. I wish each graduate and those currently studying every success’, said Ms Archer.

Latest UK survey reveals 17 million camping and caravan trips taken in 2016

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by Tom Leaning

A recent analysis of the caravan and camping market has reported that the industry is on the rise.

As the UK heads towards the annual Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show at Birmingham’s NEC from 21 to 26 February 2017, just under four out of ten UK adults had experience of camping or caravanning in the past three years according to a Mintel report*.

A total of over 17 million camping and caravanning trips are estimated to have been taken by UK adults in 2016, over 15 million of which were in Great Britain, and include a spectrum of accommodation options from yurts, safari tents and shepherd’s huts to tiny two-berth mini and large luxury caravans, sophisticated motorhomes and holiday lodges. The total trips taken figure is expected to rise to 17.9 million in 2017 and to over 21 million in 2020, and Mintel forecasts Great Britain’s camping and caravanning market will be worth over £3.2 billion by 2020.

Of those camping in a tent in the last three years^, ‘getting away from it all’ is one of the key attractions (42 per cent) as well as ‘connecting with nature’ (41 per cent). Just 14per cent overall of those camping would welcome the opportunity to be disconnected from technology with no WiFi or internet, although surprisingly 32 per cent of music festival campers claimed they would welcome the lack of connection!

Among those interested in such leisure holidays, 16per cent plan to buy a tent from 2016 onwards, 9 per cent a towed caravan, 12 per cent a motorhome or campervan, and 10 per cent a static caravan or mobile home. Motorhomes are seen as adventurous and fun, comfortable and family-friendly, with secure, spacious, high quality accommodation. A multi-destination European trip attracted 55 per cent, while 34 per cent would aim for a North America tour and 37 per cent would use a motorhome to see a sports event.

Market drivers for camping, caravanning and motorhomes trips in recent years include a reduction in petrol prices and a desire for families to reconnect with their environment. A report published by The Wildlife Trust** found that children have become increasingly separated from nature, highlighting that fewer than 10 per cent of children play in natural areas, with 78 per cent of parents concerned their children don’t spend enough time interacting with nature and wildlife.

The government’s Climate Change Risk Assessment report 2012 (produced every five years) predicts that future climate change is likely to improve the appeal of the UK as a holiday destination for both UK and overseas visitors with increased summer temperatures and a longer summer season.

The NCC (National Caravan Council), the event arm of which runs the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show, estimates in the UK at present there are approximately 550,000 touring caravans, more than 205,000 motorhomes and 330,000 static caravan holiday homes in use, totalling over one million leisure vehicles.

From Tuesday 21 to Sunday 26 February the Birmingham NEC will be home to the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show 2017, with over 350 leading leisure brands exhibiting caravans, motorhomes, campervans, trailer tents, folding campers, tents, caravan holiday homes, camping equipment and accessories.

This year’s show has plenty of free, have-a-go features including an indoor children’s assault course and mobile climbing mountain. A towing and manoeuvring skills area offers expert tuition for those new to caravanning and motorhome holidays as well as those who want to brush up on their techniques. For pet lovers there is the much-loved dog agility arena.

Throughout the six days of the show the Discovery Theatre plays host to celebrity guests including Countryfile, and more recently New Lives in the Wild presenter, Ben Fogle; Kate Humble and Julia Bradbury discussing their love of the great outdoors; celebrity chefs including baker Selasi Gbormittah performing live cooking demonstrations; and the professionals sharing their top tips on owning leisure vehicles and camping holidays. New for 2017 are bushcraft workshops where visitors can learn essential survival skills.

Advance ticket prices are from £7 per person and children 15 and under enter free^^. Tickets are on sale now and can be ordered online: www.ccmshow.co.uk

Camping and Caravanning Club name new Chairman

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by Tom Leaning

The Camping and Caravanning Club have announced the appointment of Mel Hill as their new Chairman.

Mr Hill, from Mexborough, South Yorkshire, was appointed by the Club’s National Council during its November 2016 meeting at the Club’s Coventry headquarters.

Mr Hill, a retired Construction Manager, has a long and rich history with the Club. After a short time away from camping and caravanning, he re-joined the Club in 1987. Since starting off as a tent camper at school, he moved on to frame tents, trailer tents and caravans – he now owns a Lunar.

Robert Louden MBE, the Club’s Director General, said: “Mel has camping and caravanning in his blood, and is a great ambassador for the Club.

“He continues to be active within his local District Association and has held many important positions as a member of the National Council over the years. Most recently, he was the Club’s Vice Chairman between 2014 and 2016, before being elected Chairman in November – a fitting recognition of his hard work and commitment.”

Mr Hill continues to use his touring caravan most weekends, both when fulfilling duties as Chairman and enjoying local Club unit camping meets and events.

He said: “The touring industry continues to grow and more and more young families are joining us and getting into camping. The types of units available are changing to meet the needs of modern campers too, and manufacturers are developing new ranges and adopting new technologies to make camping more accessible and exciting.”

Along with the Chairman’s appointment, the National Council also elected Phil Henson as the new Club Vice-Chairman to work alongside Mel. Anne Dearling, who held the post of Club Chairman for the previous two years, now becomes Immediate Past Chairman.

The Camping and Caravanning Club is 115-years-old and appointed TV presenter Julia Bradbury as its Club President in 2013 – the first female to be bestowed with the title in history. The Club works with Julia, as well as explorer and Club Vice President Bear Grylls, and naturalist Chris Packham, to highlight the benefits of getting outdoors with camping.

The Club recently celebrated recording its highest ever membership of more than 293,000 households. To learn more about the Club, visit: www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk.

Holiday Park sets 60-year visitor record during NYE celebrations

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by Tom Leaning

A Cumbrian village’s population almost doubled over New Year with celebrating campers visiting the area.

Michael Holgate of Silverdale Holiday Park says his business set a 60-year record for people choosing to spend the New Year break away from home.

More than 1,000 guests were partying and popping the corks on their bubbly on 31 January, he says, nearly doubling the village’s population of some 1,500 people.

But not all families, said Mr Holgate, were staying in snug and centrally-heated holiday homes.

Also pitching up were scores of campers and owners of touring caravans, plus people with motorhomes and others booking one of the park’s glamping pods.

“The rise in people coming away for Christmas and New Year has been evident for some time, but this year the numbers rocketed,” said Mr Holgate.

“Many say that they have a much more relaxing break when everyone is on neutral territory and away from their usual family surroundings.

“We certainly find that it makes for a great stress-free atmosphere on the park, and we often find families coming together for impromptu parties,” he says.

Mr Holgate believes that Cumbria as a whole will benefit from the holiday year growing longer and producing fewer peaks and troughs throughout the calendar:

“Our six holiday parks employ around 135 people, and each year we find ourselves less reliant on seasonal staff and better able to provide more full-time positions.

“This allows us to attract higher calibre recruits, and to be able to invest in their personal training and development which benefits both them and us in the longer term.

“Four-season holidays also spread tourism spending more evenly throughout the year, and this helps the many smaller business which rely on our visitor trade,” said Mr Holgate.

This year, he added his business has also been able to provide New Year accommodation at two luxury cottages opened alongside Silverdale’s popular local pub, The Royal.

After standing empty since 2010, The Royal re-opened in spring this year following a £300,000 refurbishment project by Mr Holgate’s family business.

There is more information about Silverdale Holiday Park, and the five other Cumbria and North Lancashire parks belonging to the Holgates group, at www.holgates.co.uk

CaravanTimes wishes you a Happy 2017!

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by Tom Leaning

The whole CaravanTimes team would like to wish our readers a very happy 2017.

We hope you have had a great year and made some amazing memories with your caravans and motorhomes.

Now is the time to look forward to a fresh year ahead and more exciting times out on the roads, on campsites and in caravan parks with family and friends.

Have an awesome year everyone, and wherever you find yourselves, make sure you make 2017 a memorable year!

The CaravanTimes Team

Theft leaves caravan owners homeless over Christmas

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by Tom Leaning

Caravan owners were left homeless over Christmas after their mobile home was stolen from from a site in East Berkshire.

Thames Valley Police are appealing for information following the theft of the caravan and a 4×4 vehicle from Darlings Lane Stables in Darlings Lane near Maidenhead.

Both vehicles are believed to have been taken between 9pm on 23rd December and 2am on Christmas Eve, 24th December.

The Caravan was a Hobby Excellent 695 VIP with the serial number WHB19N57L0FF31104.

The 4×4 was a Toyota Hilux, with the registration LL62 VGG.

Police believe the vehicle and caravan may have been transported out of the country by ferry, as large gas bottles were removed prior to the theft, items which would not be permitted on a ferry or tunnel crossing.

Investigating officer PC William Holbrook said: “This was a particularly devastating crime as the caravan is the victims’ home, and this left them homeless over Christmas. Their onsite office was also ransacked.

“I am appealing for anyone who knows the whereabouts of the two stolen vehicles, or who knows the identity of the offenders, to come forward and contact Thames Valley Police on the non-emergency number 101.”

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Caravan business raises £8k for cancer charity

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by Tom Leaning

A Cumbrian caravan company has raised thousands of pounds for local cancer patients at its 35th anniversary ball.

More than £8,000 was raised for the Rosemere Cancer Foundation by Kendal Caravans at its celebration and fundraising night, according to the Westmorland Gazette.

The sum will provide a much-needed boost to the charity’s valued work in supporting cancer patients being treated in Cumbria and Lancashire.

Kendal Caravans, based at Selside, near Kendal, is one of northern England’s largest holiday home distributors.

The company head, Mark Molyneaux said in his gala speech: “The professionalism and commitment of our staff to providing a first-class service has helped build Kendal Caravans’ strong reputation in the holiday parks supply industry.

“I would also like to give a big thank-you to the many suppliers which had sponsored the anniversary ball, and whose support had enabled the event to raise £8,000 for a very deserving cause.”

Premier League footballer offers to buy caravan for homeless mother-to-be

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by Tom Leaning

West Bromwich Albion footballer, James McClean, has offered to pay for a caravan for a pregnant homeless woman.

Mr McClean offered to buy the woman, known only as Lisa, a caravan when he learned of her plight through a national newspaper.

According to the Express & Star of the West Midlands, Lisa, 36, is believed to be five months pregnant with twins and currently living in a tent under a bridge with her partner Wally near the River Medway in Kent.

The Northern Irish-born footballer said “no babies should be living homeless” and that he’d be “willing to buy the caravan himself”.

Mr McClean made his generous offer via his wife, Erin’s, Facebook profile:

The former Sunderland and Wigan Athletic player posted: “Look I know it ain’t much and even if it’s temporary until a house is found but being a father myself no babies should live homeless so I would be willing to purchase this caravan for them and keep them out of the cold.”

The 27-year-old Irish international attached an advert for a £1,750 Swift Corvette caravan for sale in Maidstone, Kent.

Scottish caravan park to bring back static homes with flotation devices

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by Tom Leaning

A Cairngorms caravan park is still picking up the pieces from last year’s devastating storm and wants new innovative safety solutions after Storm Frank left trail of destruction.

Storm Frank caused chaos throughout many parts of Scotland over the 2015 Christmas period, including at Ballater Caravan and Camping Park, located in the Cairngorms National Park.

Static caravans were seen floating down the river as floodwaters broke through the park and the village defences, according to Aberdeen’s Evening Express.

But since then the site has managed to reopen to touring caravans and is hopeful of seeing static caravans return next year – but with specialist flotation devices attached.

Alistair Cassie, one of the directors of the facility, said it was slowly getting back on its feet and, on the touring caravan side, had enjoyed a good year.

Mr Cassie told the Evening Express: “The tourist site is up and running. It was a late opening season but it has been a very successful season and people are delighted with the site.”

“People are saying it is a better standard than it was before – that’s the positive side.

“As far as the old part, we’re hoping to get a limited number of static stances – possibly 10 – for next season.”

However, Mr Cassie said for owners to get their holiday homes insured they were going to have to take extra steps.

“In order for people to get insurance, the caravans will have to be mounted on a floatation system,” he said.

“It’s basically a concrete base on the ground and the flotations are polystyrene blocks fixed to the caravan.

“If it does flood again – and that’s if, it might never – they rise up with the water and are anchored with chains.

“They rise with the water and no real damage is done and people can get insurance.

“It’s quite expensive to do, so we’re limited as to how many we can do, and it’ll depend on demand.

“We’re having a meeting with every past caravan user at the beginning of the year to gauge the interest.”

At the time of the flooding there were around 90 caravans on the site, but Mr Cassie said with the new regulations for the site that number would likely drop.

“The flood was one of those freak things that happened,” he said.

“Time is a great healer and people will forget, but then on the other hand people don’t want to take too many risks. But every time you drive up the road you take a risk and if it’s a one-in-200-year flood it’s quite a reasonable risk to take.

“We’re hopeful it’ll get back to what it was. If we change it dramatically all the services have to be changed – the drains and the electrics.

“If there’s not an uptake or demand for the statics we might have seasonal pitches again, but we’re limited as the toilet block can only handle so many people.

“We could take an extra 15 or 20 caravans and cope but anything else would put stress on the toilets and we’d have to build a new block which is mega money again.”

Mr Cassie, who runs the nearby General Merchant store and is a Royal Warrant holder, estimated the damage at the caravan park at around £500,000.