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.”
