We are pleased to let you know we have additional premium lodges for 2009, giving you the opportunity to have more luxurious breaks with new furnishings and kitchens!

It is estimated that over 100,000 birds, whales, seals and turtles die worldwide each year due to entanglement and ingestion of plastics.

For a second year, in an effort to cut down on the usage of plastic bags, and more importantly, to raise awareness of the problems they can cause in the environment, Beverley Holidays is asking customers to donated 5p to the Local
Charity, the Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust for each plastic bag they use in the
Site shops.
 
In 2009 we raised £561 for the Trust with this scheme, which will help to fund Marine
education at the Goodrington Sea life Centre. Current marine conservation work carried out at the Seashore Centre includes beach events, looking after Torbay's nationally important sea grass beds, home to Torbay's seahorses and working with SeaTorbay, a new coastal management partnership in which the trust is involved.

Nicola Jeavons, from Beverley Holidays, said, “When we started the scheme we were a little nervous about how our customers would react, but paying for carrier bags has now become more common nationally."

Kate Foster, from Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust, said, “I am delighted with the
support we have received from Beverley Holidays. Donations help the trust look after our environment locally, but also enable us to keep the Bay looking good for our visitors to enjoy. I hope we can work with more tourism providers and set up similar visitor donation schemes to be reinvested in the local area."

We are pleased to let you know we have additional premium lodges for 2010, giving you the opportunity to have more luxurious breaks with new furnishings, bathrooms and kitchens!

The new Oystercatcher will be available from April 2010, and offers extras including an iPod docking stations and addition TV's in the larger of the two twin rooms.

Click on to www.luxury-lodges.co.uk to find out about our special lodge offers and for more photos.

Like most of the country, Devon has also been covered with a blanket of snow this week!

Situated on the coast here in South Devon, snow is a very rare occurrence. Even the smallest amount of snow has us reaching for our cameras and running (very carefully) outside!

Kim and Julie had a fun-packed Wednesday morning, building a snowman on Ashvale! It's still lovely and warm in the tropically heated Oasis Centre, but we're not sure anyone would fancy a dip in the outdoor pool, ice skates may be more appropriate!

It is however perfect weather for the penguins at Living Coasts in Torquay, who experienced their first snow!

The stunning natural heritage of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham has taken a starring role in a short film about the English Riviera Geopark.

The ‘We Love Our Geopark' film is aimed at educating and building awareness of UNESCO's first Urban Global Geopark. The film, combines animation and live action to trace the unique geology of the area, from the formation of the planet 4.6 billion years ago to industries and the environment.

Patron of the English Riviera Geopark, BBC's Dr Iain Stewart said: "If a picture is worth a thousand words then a film must be worth a million, especially if the subject matter is as photogenic as the English Riviera Geopark. This film is the perfect vehicle for introducing people to the outstanding natural heritage of the English Riviera and for encouraging them to explore the Geopark further." 

The English Riviera received international recognition in 2007 for its rich geological, historical and cultural heritage, it became one of just 57 areas around the world to endorsed by UNESCO and welcomed into both the European and Global Geopark Networks.

Experience the Geopark for yourself via the numerous geosites located around the bay. From the gateway site of Kents Cavern to Historic Torre Abbey, Berry Head Nature Reserve and the Goodrington Seashore Centre, there is a geosite to suit everyone’s interests.

Watch the Geopark Film

We are pleased to annouce that all Meadowside Lodges now come with complimentary Wifi internet access.

Thanks to pupils from the local Primary School, we will now be attracting a rather different type if guest to Beverley Park- Minibeasts!

Galmpton Primary School have built us a Mini Beast Hotel, designed to provide a place for bugs to hibernate. The most numerous type of animal in the world, a ‘minibeast’ is simply a small invertebrate animal, such as spiders, snails, slugs, beetles, centipedes, worms, earwigs & caterpillars. These are just a few well-known examples of the thousands and thousands of types of ‘creepy-crawlies’ that exist all over the world. In Britain alone there are over 25,000 species of invertebrates known.

Some people regard most creepy crawlies simply as pests, in need of extermination! Indeed some of them can be pests to us human, but invertebrates are a very important part of life in the habitat in which they live.

Hunting for minibeasts is great fun! Why not go on a mini beast hunt next time you’re here! Minibeasts are small and good at hiding. Look for an area where there are rocks, leaves or wood on the ground. Remember to be careful and always put the creatures back where you found them.

More Info

Antony House near Plymouth, will be transformed this year in celebration of the part it played in Tim Burton's film 'Alice in Wonderland'.

Enjoy a fabulously surreal day at this National Trust property, where stars like Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Mia Wasikowska, who plays Alice, gathered to film in 2008. Crawl through a rabbit hole into a magical garden, marvel at the wonderful topiary, follow butterfly trails, play croquet on the lawn, and at weekends join the Mad hatter at one of his tea parties!

The beautifully symmetrical eighteenth century Antony House boasts intimate interiors, with sweeping views over the landscaped gardens. Many of the rooms were used in the film, an upstairs bedroom was transformed into Alice's Bedroom, which will be recreated for children to explore!

Opening hours have been extended, and the gardens will be open every day except Friday from 11am to 5pm until 31st October 2010. The house will be open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday from 12 noon to 5pm.

More Info

Alice in Wonderland Events

We are committed to constantly improving your holiday experience, and the best way we do this is by listening it what our guests tell us after their visit.
The BHHPA have come up with a scheme for parks to have the same holiday feedback questionnaire. And eventually, we will be able to benchmark customer’s comments against other parks.  The questionnaire won't take long, and allows you to rate different aspects of your stay. For your trouble, you can enter your details into a special prize draw!

Click the link to rate the park you stayed on

http://www.ratethispark.co.uk/Beverleypark/

http://www.ratethispark.co.uk/Ashvale/

http://www.ratethispark.co.uk/marinepark/

If you stayed in a Meadowside Lodge, use the Beverley Park link.

Thank you for giving us your feedback - and for helping us make Beverley Holidays even better for your next visit!

After 42 years of voluntary service, Eddie Weller our Maintenance Manager has just retired from HM Coastguards. At his retirement party last Saturday, he was awarded a rare 40 year Long Service medal. Ed said "There's not many of us in the country who have managed to do 40 years so I'm quite proud of that." Rope Technician Dave Sanders says "Eddie will be missed by all the local team who know him and will be leaving behind some very big shoes to try to fill."

As Station Officer of the Berry Head Search and Rescue Team, Eddie has been involved in countless operations, scaling the cliffs of Torbay to rescue injured people and animals. He has always been on call, and carried a pager. When ever the buzzer went off he'd have to go, whether he was a work, or out shopping with his family. "It's totally different from your day to day work, it's exciting. I may be sitting here talking to you quite relaxed on the sofa, but if my pager goes off I haven't got a clue what I'm going to. It could be something simple or a it could be a major search for a person, or a person stuck on a cliff. It could literally be anything"

On top of his Long Service Awards, Eddie has received many awards for his courage over the years, including the Chief Coastguard's Commendation for Bravery after rescuing a burning man caught in a tree near Daddyhole Plain. He is also the proud owner of an award from the Royal Humane Society for rescuing a goat called Pagan from a sea cave at Berry Head in 1993, and an award from the Marine Society for his part in rescuing three dolphins, including a beached one, from Brixham Harbour.

Eddie joined the Brixham Team in 1969, and before that served in Northern Ireland, where his Father was stationed as a regular Coastguard. His son, Ian Weller, has followed in Ed's footsteps, and as a member of neighbouring Paignton Search and Rescue Team, has also been honoured for the part he played in the rescue of a woman from the cliffs at Berry Head.

Eddie has been working with us for nearly 10 years now, and we are glad to have been able to support his important role in the Coastguards. We're all very proud of his achievements.

Read more about Eddie

HM Coastguards, Torbay & Berry Head Search & Rescue

A unique service providing luxury cruises along the River Dart has been launched. The new cruises in a luxury Admirals Tender motor launch follow on from trials held last summer which proved so popular that the skipper decided to expand the service and the number of cruises on offer.  The Baltic Tender is one of the few boats licensed to run after dark and all year round which means you can experience the river at any time of the day and go exactly where you want including Dittisham, Greenway, etc.

Further  information can be found at www.southdevoncruises.co.uk

The Jeavons family have achieved a Special Distinction Award from David Bellamy for their new letter-boxing trail at Beverley Park.

 Beverley Park created the letter-boxing trail at the start of their 2009 season. They wanted an outdoor, fun children’s activity that was something that their customers could do as a family. To follow the trail around the park, they need to solve each of the nature clues. After collecting all 10 stamps hidden around the park, each child receives a nature bookmark.

Helping visitors to understand conservation is considered an important qualifying feature of the award. Nicola Furneaux, manager,  commented, “We thought it would be good for introducing our customers to our local nature and environment in an enjoyable and educational way. We take a special pride in helping our holiday customers to come closer to the countryside and are very pleased to receive the award for our continuing commitment to conservation and the environment. Winning such a prestigious award is a wonderful achievement”.
 

Fran Taylor, marketing assistant, helped to set up the trail and painted the individual letter-boxes, “As well as increasing the customers’ awareness of the park environment and wildlife, it is fun activity. We are delighted with the positive feedback that we have received from our customers. It has been very successful and this season we have created letter-boxing trails on our other parks, Ashvale and Whitehill Country Park.”

 In conjunction with the British Holiday and Home Parks Association, David Bellamy Conservation Awards are for parks that demonstrate green policies that are particularly innovative and demonstrate best practice and dedication.