Hotel landmark at Red Screes
28 July 2010
English Lakes Hotels are approaching a major landmark in perhaps the most unusual and little known aspect of their business: conservation.
The successful hotel group of six hotels are about to hit the £100,000 mark in their fundraising for conservation projects throughout the Lake District and Cumbria.
Projects such as Barkbooth Lot, Warton Crag, Cumbria Outdoors Sustainability Programme and Fix the Fells have benefited from the support of English Lakes Hotels over the past 15 years.
Much of the money raised has been with the help of ELH’s environmentally conscious customers who donate to conservation through the Hotels’ visitor payback scheme. The fundraising scheme was set up with sustainable tourism experts and local charity, Nurture Lakeland.
Sue Savege, Director of Nurture Lakeland said: “English Lakes Hotels have been members of Nurture Lakeland for 15 years and in that time, with the help of their customers, they have raised almost £100,000 for conservation in the Lake District and Cumbria.
It is a pleasure to work with English Lakes Hotels in the campaign for sustainable tourism in the Lake District and Cumbria. As a business they are always keen to take part in fundraising initiatives and to help improve the sustainability of not only their own business, but also of the tourism industry in the county as a whole.
The contribution they make to conservation is outstanding, and the generous donations made by their visitors are enormously appreciated.”
As a final push to reach the £100,000 landmark figure, each of the hotels will be fundraising for the same project, a footpath at Red Screes on the Kirkstone Pass. The path is popular with walkers because so much height is gained without much effort, and also there is the added benefit of having the Kirkstone Inn at the beginning and end of the walk!
The path has suffered serious erosion over the years and is scheduled for repair work in September. Skilled Lake District National Park contractors will tackle the repair work as part of the Fix the Fells project.
Simon Berry, owner of English Lakes Hotels said: “We are delighted that along with our customers we can make such a positive difference to the local environment. It’s critical that tourism businesses, like us, help protect our greatest asset – the stunning landscape of the Lake District. Sustainable tourism is definitely the way to achieve that.
With the help of Nurture Lakeland we hope to continue supporting local conservation work and help look after our landscape for the future.”