Family’s Holiday Park Is A Natural Winner

Moss Wood has been heralded as Lancashire’s torch-bearer for businesses with a conscience. Judges in the Lancashire Tourism Awards named the family-run park as first place in the ‘ethical, responsible and sustainable’ category of the awards, beating a strong line-up of contenders from across the North West. It means that Moss Wood will now be fast-tracked through to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence later this year in the same category. An awards ceremony, held at Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach Arena, was attended by tourism and business chiefs from across Lancashire.

Henry Wild accepted the award on behalf of his father Syd who first started the park over 40 years ago, and who still plays an active part in its running. Moss Wood, judges said, puts sustainability and care for the countryside at the heart of its business culture, bringing great benefits to the natural environment. The park was also praised for the way it encourages holiday guests and members of the local community, especially children, to engage with nature and to help protect its wildlife.

Henry Wild said that everyone was absolutely delighted to have taken the top sustainability prize: “We are very fortunate to be able to attract staff who share our enthusiasm for the natural world, and for doing everything possible to protect our flora and fauna. “Their knowledge and skills mean we are never short of new ideas for safeguarding wildlife, and for helping youngsters to enjoy making new outdoor discoveries,” Henry continue. “Our family feels very privileged to live and work in this beautiful part of rural Lancashire, and I hope this award will help raise awareness of its very special qualities,” he added.

Moss Wood provides holiday homes to buy as well as pitches for touring caravans and motorhomes. The park has been presented with the David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level for more than 20 consecutive years, recognising its raft of conservation initiatives. These include a recently created 1.5km nature discovery trail, and a 3000 square-foot wild flower wilderness providing vital foraging for honey bees and butterflies.

There is also a spring-fed lake at Moss Wood which acts as a magnet for birdlife, dragonflies, water fowl and a host of other different aquatic species. In addition, the park plays host to thousands of bees in hives on its grounds, and supports bee-keeping charities with the sale of its own artisan beer produced by a local micro-brewery.