Deepdale Leisure awarded the 2009 East of England Sustainable Tourism Award.
The best that the East of England has to offer came together at the awards ceremony on the 29th of October 2009 at Ickworth Hall in Bury St. Edmunds to battle it out for awards and accolades in this year’s regional awards for Excellence. Deepdale Leisure was nominated in the category for Sustainable tourism and faced tough competition from Fairhaven Woodland and Water Gardens in South Walsingham www.fairhavengarden.co.uk/, and Pinetrees Bed and Breakfast in Suffolk www.pinetrees.net/index.htm. It is a contest that gets more difficult year upon year as businesses realize the impact that they have on the local environment and economy and take steps to maximize the positive aspects whilst minimizing the negative ones, but in a close fought contest Deepdale Leisure was the awarded the prize.
Sustainable tourism is an industry committed to making a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate income and employment for local people. The aim of sustainable tourism is to ensure that development is a positive experience for local people; tourism companies; and tourists themselves.
Deepdale Backpackers and Camping has strived to fully encapsulate this ethos into its development from the very beginning. Starting as a single camping paddock back in 1979 used only through July and August, a summer project has grown into a worthy representative of sustainable tourism.
Deepdale has in place many environmentally friendly schemes to aid in waste reduction, recycling, use of renewable energies, and water consumption reduction. Solar heating systems reduce the use of fossil fuels on a site that runs year round. Waterless urinals, and low flow taps and showers reduce the precious resource that we take for granted, and integrating local suppliers into the business where ever possible reduces fuel consumption and costs for delivery or collection whilst also increasing the business generated in the surrounding area. The development of several permissive footpaths around the local farm land has improved access for residents and tourists, as well as improves safety statistics on the local roads for walkers and cyclists.
Deepdale also runs environmental events such as our conservation weekend, and Earthday. Both are annual events which attract a lot of interest from all over the country and help to raise awareness and levels of education about global warming, the impact of fossil fuel burning, and ways that we can all help to reduce our impact on the world we live in.
“We take our responsibilities seriously here at Deepdale and know that we are an integral part of the local community and the global community. Without the support of the residents the development of Deepdale would have been much more difficult and without Deepdale, the local community would not have the same access to facilities that they do now. Globally the use of non-sustainable fuels and the use of non-recycled, imported goods is something we try very, very hard to avoid.” Said Louise Smith, the managing director. “We have been very lucky in the support we have received and we are very grateful for it.”
As winners of the East of England regional award, Deepdale Leisure is now nominated for the National Sustainable tourism award.
Last year’s winner of this prestigious award for sustainable tourism were The Venus Company, www.venuscompany.co.uk/. The Venus mission is to be the greenest beach cafe and shop operator. We will strive to minimise the harmful effects and maximise the beneficial influences which our activities have on the environment.
Here at Deepdale we hope to be worthy competitors for such an auspicious award. ‘We don’t inherit the World; we borrow it from our children…At Deepdale we intend to look after it until we return it.’
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You can usually meet Merlin and Jazz at Deepdale Backpackers & Camping on the beautiful north Norfolk coast – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk
Eco-friendly backpackers hostel, campsite, tipis, yurts and group hostel
You can read about Merlin and Jazz’s adventures on the Deepdale Backpackers & Camping Blog – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk/blog
