GUESTS THANKED FOR WILDLIFE BOOST

Posted on August 2, 2022

GUESTS THANKED FOR WILDLIFE BOOST

A CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST chief has visited a Padstow holiday park making a huge donation to its work.

Guests at Padstow’s Mother Ivey’s Bay holiday park have given £16,923 since 2015 to help the work of Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s nature conservation programme. The trust’s corporate partnership officer Rowan Hartgroves took time off to say thank you with a visit to the park where he took the opportunity to view some of the many wildlife initiatives it has taken to protect indigenous flora and fauna. They include an adjoining wildlife meadow where a wide variety of wildflowers provide a valuable foraging resource for endangered honeybees and butterflies.

There are also ‘bug hotels’ which encourage beneficial insects, and are essential for biodiversity. The park’s work has resulted in its receiving the prestigious David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level every year for over two decades. “We care passionately about the natural world, and Mother Ivey’s tends to attract holiday guests who share our love for Cornwall’s unique but fragile landscape,” said Patrick. “For many years we have asked our customers to make a voluntary donation to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust when they book their holidays with us online.

“Almost every guest does so, which I think underlines the affection they have for this spectacular area, and their concern to be involved in maintaining its upkeep. Rowan Hartgroves said that, sadly, wildlife in Cornwall is under threat and that in the past 30 years nearly half of terrestrial mammals had declined along with three-fifths of butterfly species. “Many of our visitors are becoming aware of the precarious state of nature in Cornwall and are looking for ways to help protect the environment they have come to enjoy,” said Rowan who added: “By introducing a visitor gifting scheme, such as that adopted by Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park, local businesses can help build customer loyalty and enable guests to protect the places and wildlife that they cherish for future generations.”

HAVE LOO BRUSH – WILL TRAVEL!

Posted on August 6, 2021

HAVE LOO BRUSH – WILL TRAVEL!

PATRICK LANGMAID hopes holiday guests will step up to join his toilet cleaning chain gang.

Guests taking holidays at a major Cornwall holiday park this summer are being asked to help keep the park open – by swapping the beach for a toilet brush.

Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park in Padstow says staff shortages could force the closure of his toilet blocks and is trying to rally a volunteer army of loo legionnaires. More than 20 people have so far stepped forward with offers to help, according to Patrick Langmaid, owner of the 30-year-old family business.

“Like many tourism providers we are desperate to recruit staff, but the staycation boom and the easing of lockdown has created more jobs than there are people to fill them,” said Patrick. “Unless we can find enough volunteers to give up part of their holidays to keep our toilets spotless, we could have to start cancelling stays already booked for this summer.”

War On Plastics

Posted on April 29, 2019

War On Plastics

Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park in Padstow has stepped up its fight to keep local beaches clean by investing in special equipment which can rid the sand of micro-plastics. Called a trommel, the machine sieves the sand to separate out ‘nurdles’, the small plastic pellets produced in their billions each year during the manufacture of plastic products. The anti-pollution device, which is operated manually, has been designed and manufactured by Nurdle, a not-for-profit business based in North Devon. Staff at Mother Ivey’s Bay carry out regular beach clean-ups throughout the year. Once the nurdles have been separated, they are up-cycled and used by local artist Veronika Niewiadomsk, to create special pieces of creative work.

The Gift Of Holidays To Families In Need

Posted on February 9, 2017

Mike, Kerry and their two young children, Ellie and Luke enjoyed a holiday at Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park thanks to the One for All initiative.

The Gift Of Holidays To Families In Need

Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park in Padstow provided free holidays for 80 people in 2016 through its One for All initiative. Launched in 2013, the scheme dedicates 1% of the park’s hire fleet occupancy to those who need a break, but cannot afford.

One family to benefit was Mike, Kerry and their two young children, Ellie and Luke. Mike, a builder, has suffered from diabetes since childhood. His condition has worsened recently, affecting the nerves in his legs. This has meant missing work, which has hit the family finances hard. Ellie’s school teacher, Mrs Parker, contacted the Family Holiday Association, to see if they could organise a much-needed break for the family. The result was a week’s holiday in September at Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park. Park owner Patrick Langmaid, would like One for All to become a business model that every holiday park owner in the country can use.

He said: “If, as holiday park owners, we can all do something positive for our communities without disrupting our own business model it has to be worthwhile. “Everyone wants their children to grow up with happy memories and this scheme has the potential to provide countless positive life-changing experiences for families in need.” He adds: “One for All also helps fill parks during the shoulder months. When I’m at half capacity in April or October I’d much rather give holidays away, even outside school holidays, because sometimes a holiday with your family is more important and beneficial than being in the classroom.”

Double Charity Boost

Posted on April 15, 2016

Double Charity Boost

Photograph by Emily Whitfield-Wicks.

Two Cornish charities each received a four-figure boost to their fundraising efforts, thanks to an enterprising Padstow holiday park’s visitor giving scheme.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Wadebridge Foodbank have both been handed cheques for £1,700 from Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park at Trevose Head. The much-needed sums were raised by guests who donated £1.00 on top of their holiday costs when booking a stay at the multi-award winning park.

The total amount was then doubled by Mother Ivey’s Bay owner Patrick Langmaid to create the £3,400 windfall which was shared by the charities.

“Many holiday businesses in Cornwall give very generously of their time and resources to help local charities, and we are very proud to stand alongside them,” said Patrick. “Our charity work receives immense support from our holiday guests who make donations when booking their stays with virtually nobody opting out of the scheme.

“We’re also greatly indebted to our staff who also make a superb contribution through their efforts to our fundraising activities,” added Patrick. He said that the present level of 2016 bookings for the park, which reopens in March, suggests that this year’s total could well be exceeded by the end of the season.

Bellamy Praises Community Spirit

Posted on September 2, 2015

Bellamy Praises Community Spirit

Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park in Padstow, Cornwall, gives away a week’s holiday to a needy family for every hundred bookings the park takes.

Hundreds of holiday and residential parks which reach out to their local communities will be put under the spotlight in this year’s David Bellamy Conservation Awards.

Scheme organiser Rufus Bellamy says that this year he is keen to celebrate parks acting as ‘good neighbours’. He reports that a whole raft of initiatives are now making a very real difference to many peoples’ lives around the country.

“The David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme does, of course, put a major emphasis on how parks work to protect their natural environment,” said Rufus.

“However, the scheme also highlights those which engage with their local community because this, in our view, demonstrates that the park is taking a holistic view of its business.

“This year, our assessors have uncovered many fantastic new initiatives which we’ll be using to underline just how many ways there are for parks to reach out,” said Rufus.

The names of the 500-plus parks expected to receive David Bellamy Conservation Awards this year at gold, silver and bronze levels will be announced this month.

Parks Urged To Become Living Wage Accredited

Posted on June 10, 2015

A Cornish park has become the first in the UK to be accredited as a Living Wage employer.

Parks Urged To Become Living Wage Accredited

Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park in Cornwall has become Britain’s first holiday park to be an accredited Living Wage employer and is urging other parks to follow suit.

Park director Patrick Langmaid believes that such a move is the perfect way for any business to demonstrate its social responsibility. “Our decision to pay the Living Wage, currently set at £7.85 per hour outside London, will add around £12,000 a year to our annual wage bill in the future,” says Patrick.

According to the industry’s trade body, the British Holiday & Home Parks Association, Mother Ivey’s is leading the way in becoming accredited by the Living Wage Foundation. Around 1,100 other businesses of all types in the UK have already signed up to the organisation.

“I strongly believe there is more to business than short-term profits and that long-term interests are most often best served by looking beyond the balance sheet,” said Patrick. “By putting the principles of social responsibility at the heart of our decisionmaking, we are resonating with the way many of our customers now feel about how companies should behave.

“We don’t regard wages as just another cost, but as a means of recognising and rewarding the hard work of our staff team, all of whom are incredibly loyal to our business, including many who have been with us for more than ten years.”

There is more information about the Living Wage Foundation accreditation at www.livingwage.org.uk

Holiday Scene: Patrick Langmaid

Posted on May 5, 2015

Patrick Langmaid of Mother Ivey's Bay Holiday Park

Holiday Scene: Patrick Langmaid

Patrick Langmaid is director of Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park near Padstow in Cornwall, owned by his family’s business for over 25 years. Patrick trained as a chartered surveyor, and spent three years working for a property agent in Germany. He then returned to the UK to study for an MBA at Cranfield University, going on to complete a post-graduate marketing diploma before joining Mother Ivey’s. Today he manages the park with the help of his wife Margaret.

How do you see the UK holiday industry at the moment?

These are tremendously exciting times and the industry is, I believe, in very good shape. But the best opportunities are reserved for those who enjoy embracing change – and anyone insisting on just ploughing the same furrow is at risk of being left behind. However, I regret that the punitive taxation system in England does fetter this industry’s ability to market itself more aggressively to overseas markets.

How is the 2015 summer season shaping up?

Many holiday parks experienced a downward trajectory post-2008 which finally bottomed out, at least for Mother Ivey’s, in 2013. The curve is now very definitely up, and bookings for 2015 are racing ahead of 2014, itself a very good year.

What are the main challenges facing the industry?

Some parks in popular seaside areas such as ours are having to adjust to the changing dynamics created by the ban on term-time holidays for children. A more positive challenge, though, is taking advantage of the huge marketing opportunities presented by social media. I also think the hospitality industry as a whole needs to engage more closely with schools and universities to give a more accurate picture of the great career opportunities we provide.

How do you see your business beyond its profit objectives?

We have a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility which manifests itself in a number of way. We are a Living Wage employer, provide accredited training and apprenticeship schemes for staff, believe strongly in environmental sustainability, and are active in the local community. We also invest much time and energy in charity fundraising.

What is the best piece of business advice you have been given and by whom?

Many years ago, my father told me to limit my worrying to those things which I could change and not to waste energy worrying about things that cannot be changed. He gave me the advice when I was struggling with O-levels, but it applies equally to business and to life generally.

Where do you go on holiday?

Almost always within the UK. This year we are going to Rye on the Sussex coast, drawn there by the wonderful scenery in the TV drama Mapp and Lucia which we enjoyed over Christmas. Let’s hope Poldark works its similar magic for Cornwall!