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Cornish Hotel Takes Top UK Considerate Accolade
Friday, 07 Jun, 2010
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Cornwall’s Budock Vean Hotel takes Considerate Hoteliers ‘Hotel of the Year Award’ Raymond Blanc named ‘Considerate Good Egg of the Year’
The 2009/10 winners of the five categories of the prestigious annual Considerate Hoteliers Association (CHA) ‘Hotel of the Year Awards’ – celebrating the best in environmental and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) performance and open to all UK hotels and guest-houses – were announced on 2 June by the CHA at its Annual Gala Awards Presentation Lunch, held at The Dorchester, London.
The 2009/10 winners were as follows:
CHA’s top award – the overall ‘Considerate Hotel of the Year Award 2009/10’, sponsored by Gilchrist & Soames, was presented to: the privately owned and family run, luxury 4-star Budock Vean Hotel at Mawnan Smith, near Falmouth in Cornwall.
The hotel was presented with the CHA’s highest accolade for being the best ‘all-rounder’ establishment to have been considered by the judges as having succeeded in a wide range of environmental and social initiatives. These ranged from energy and water conservation, waste reduction and support for sustainable food, to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Commenting on the 2009/10 awards and Budock Vean’s fine achievement – Professor John Forte OBE said: “Each year, the task of judging the Considerate Hoteliers Awards has been getting harder and harder. This year was certainly the most difficult yet. We had a record number of entries – the quality of which was highly commendable, making the judges’ task to select the winners more difficult than ever; and nowhere was this more evident than in choosing the winner of the overall ‘Considerate Hotel of the Year Award 2009/10’.
“However, because of Budock Vean’s progressive programme of sustainable environmental improvements over the past five years and the hotel’s continual search and commitment for further improvements over the coming 12 months, it was unanimously selected as the ‘Considerate Hotel of the Year’.
‘The Considerate Green Marketing Initiative of the Year’, newly introduced this year and sponsored by Beacon Purchasing, was won by the Lancaster London in the capital’s Lancaster Terrace. The hotel received the award for the innovative nature, quality and effectiveness of its green marketing initiatives undertaken during 2009 that made their mark, and deserved to be saluted. These included the introduction in July of half-a-million honey bees which checked in at the Lancaster London – making it the first central London hotel to install beehives on its roof!
‘The Considerate Sustainable Food 2009/10 Award’, supported by Sustain (the alliance for better food and farming) and Fairtrade, went to Lasswade Country House and Restaurant at Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys in Wales. The award is presented to the hotel or guest-house which, in the opinion of the judges, has gone ‘that extra mile’ in 2009 to support its local food producers; to produce and/or purchase ethically, seasonally and sustainably; and then to proudly demonstrate to their guests and restaurant users – through marketing and via the menu and hotel staff – why they are doing so. In winning the award.
Lasswade Country House beat off the strong challenge of the following short-listed establishments: the Bingham at Richmond upon Thames, Surrey; The Nurse’s Cottage at Sway in the New Forest National Park; and The Queensberry Hotel, Bath.
‘The Considerate Green Team of the Year 2009/10’ was presented to The Dorchester, London. The award is presented to the establishment or group that, in the opinion of the judges, has – by virtue of the work undertaken by their Green Team – made the most difference in 2009.
The winner of the ‘Considerate Green Champion of 2009/10’ award was Jessica Black, Group Purchasing Manager, Firmdale Hotels. The award is presented to the individual, nominated by fellow hoteliers and colleagues, who by sheer dedication has inspired others to raise the green standard in 2009. Those short-listed, who challenged Jessica Black for the award, were: Jenny Lock, Proprietor, Greenbanks Country Hotel at Wendling, Norfolk; Malcolm Lewis, Managing Director, Longueville Manor in Jersey; and Diane Stenning, Head of the Environmental Committee, Best Western The Old Tollgate Restaurant & Hotel, Bramber, West Sussex.
A Considerate ‘Special Lifetime Achievement Award’ was presented to Jenny Lock, Proprietor of the Greenbanks Hotel at Wendling, Norfolk. Commenting on the award, CHA Director and Secretary John Firrell said: “Over the years, Greenbanks has been nominated for, and awarded, many accolades – including the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development in 2001.
Greenbanks’ success, however, would not have happened were it not for Jenny Lock, and it is for this reason that the judges and myself believed that her hard work and immense commitment to social responsibility and green issues should now be recognised – especially as she experienced her most successful year in 2009.
Even though she turned 70 in April, Jenny is still looking at ways in which to improve and develop Greenbanks, in addition to the surrounding environment – that is what professionalism and dedication are all about!”
The first ever ‘Considerate Good Egg of the Year Award 2009/10’ was presented to one of the world’s most widely respected hoteliers and chefs – Raymond Blanc OBE. Commenting on the award, John Firrell said: "It is so totally apt and appropriate that the first recipient of the ‘Considerate Good Egg Award’ should be Raymond Blanc.
The award – a Rhea egg mounted in a large locally hand-crafted wooden egg cup – is intended to recognise those in the hospitality business who have inspired and encouraged others to embrace certain principles of life. As far as CHA is concerned, those principles involve a dedication and willingness to impart to others the absolute need: to always try their best; that good enough is not enough; and to be ultra considerate at all times. Additionally, if you can help others to achieve excellence in what they do, then you are thoroughly deserving of the ‘Good Egg Award’.
“Raymond is a beacon of sustainability both in himself and the profession he is in. More than that, he cares for those around him, and they for him. It may take a while to explain to Raymond what the very English expression ‘A Good Egg’ means, but those who know him, realise that he fits the title perfectly."
Valere Tjolle
Valere Tjolle is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite, special offer at: www.travelmole.com/stories/1142003.php
Valere
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