Sandy Balls strikes environmental gold
Monday, 3rd March 2008
Sandy Balls Holiday Centre is celebrating another feather in its environmental cap -its 12th successive David Bellamy Gold Conservation Award.
The New Forest centre received the prestigious Gold Award for its outstanding and consistent contribution to the environment - including its active encouragement of biodiversity by conserving natural habitats around its 120-acre site.
The David Bellamy Gold Award assessor praised Sandy Balls as 'the best I have assessed this year', adding that 'the general ethos of the organisation is first rate and the work they are doing on site, at considerable expense to the company, will lead to genuine and lasting benefits for the environment'.
The team's efforts in the last twelve months alone have included the introduction of a host of energy saving measures in its new buildings - the Welcome Building is home to a unique, living, breathing Sedum roof and its new lodges use cutting-edge water-saving taps and showers - all of which help towards reducing the centres' carbon footprint.
With the support of the Forestry Commission there is also a 30-year plan in place to help return Sandy Balls wood to its native state. Its Bistro and Woodside Inn also embrace the concept of thinking globally and acting locally with the extensive use of the New Forest Marque range of locally-sourced organic products.
Assisted by local nature groups and holidaymakers, the David Bellamy Award reviews virtually every aspect of park management from the protection of plant and animal habitats to the efficient use of energy and recycling. Helping visitors to understand conservation is also considered an important qualifying feature - and the centre has long encouraged guests to actively participate in its extensive recycling activities.
"Balancing the demands of a thriving company and maintaining our naturally beautiful surroundings for generations to come has long been at the core of our planning," commented Sandy Balls marketing and sales director Tracey Farmer.
"We have just completed a multi-million pound refurbishment programme which incorporated even more measures designed to further minimise our carbon footprint and I am delighted that all our hard work has been recognised by the awards."
This latest award has been added to Sandy Balls' already impressive collection of accolades including the English Tourism 5-Star Award, The Rose Award, Tourism ExSEllence Award and the Green Tourism Gold Award.
