Member Article

Kielder waterside is a rose in England’s tourism offering as ospreys swoop to pick up Bellamy gong

Northumbrian Water is celebrating two more awards for its Landal Kielder Waterside park in Northumberland.

The awards reflect not only the excellent standards of customer service at the park, but also the efforts of Northumbrian Water and its partners to promote the area’s wildlife, particularly the reintroduction of ospreys to the area.

VisitEngland selected Kielder Waterside to be one of the inaugural recipients of its ROSE award, in recognition of excellent customer service. The awards reflect the experiences of annual VisitEngland assessments, as well as online customer reviews.

Kielder Waterside has also received a Special Distinction Award in the 2017 David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme. The award recognises the park’s Osprey Watch offering, part of the wider Kielder Osprey Watch initiative, which allows visitors to view live streams of osprey nests around Kielder Water & Forest Park.

In recognising the offering, Rufus Bellamy, son of the famous environmentalist, said: “We were particularly impressed by the fact that it offers you guests live streaming from up to four osprey nests, allowing them a glimpse of this fascinating animal up close. The fact that it is done in partnership with Forestry Commission England and the Northumberland Wildlife Trust also impressed us as a great example of partnership and good neighbourliness.”

Earlier this year, Kielder Waterside received the David Bellamy Conservation Gold Award for the 14th year running, with a particular commendation for its commitment to nurturing and improving the biodiversity of the site.

David Hall, Northumbrian Water’s Head of Leisure Strategy and Transformation, said: “2017 has seen Landal Kielder Waterside go from strength to strength. The experience for visitors is better than ever before, with a range of premium lodges, activities for all the family, and the darkest skies in England.

“We’re so proud that VisitEngland has picked us as one of the first ROSE award winners, and the latest recognition from the David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme is a real reflection of the work we do with our partners, including Northumberland Wildlife trust and the Forestry Commission.

“The development of Kielder Water & Forest Park is a story of truly successful partnership working, with people coming together for a shared goal that benefits their region. The awards we receive are a reflection of all of the hard work that goes into making this one of the UK’s finest destinations.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Northumbrian Water Group .