Parkdean Resorts has partnered with the RNRMC to provide up to 145 holiday breaks between April and November this year at nine of their holiday parks across the UK, including Wemyss Bay in Renfrewshire, Ocean Edge, in Heysham, Lancashire, Skipsea Sands in Yorkshire, Vauxhall in Great Yarmouth, Camber Sands in Sussex, Sandford and Warmwell in Dorset, and Lizard Point and Newquay in Cornwall. Parkdean Resorts is also providing 24 weeks’ availability at a disabled-access unit at Southview holiday park in Skegness.
The breaks will be awarded as recognition of not only the Service Person, but also their families, for the extraordinary sacrifices and support they provide whilst their spouses/partners and loved ones are deployed around the globe. The award also aims to recognise families that may have gone or are going through difficult times and where time away may help.
RNRMC Beneficiaries with a booking are eligible for up to 30% discount on food and soft drinks at the restaurant and bars of the eligible parks, as well as free entertainment passes during the break.
One of the first beneficiaries of the RNRMC’s Reward and Recognition Holiday Break will be Chief Petty Officer Andy Stevenson and his family, based at HM Naval Base Devonport, Plymouth. The Stevensons have been awarded the holiday break in recognition of the challenges they have faced, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as both their daughters suffer from rare genetic conditions that require extra monitoring and support.
Chief Petty Officer, Andy Stevenson, said: “I’m very grateful for the opportunity of a holiday for my family. We’ve had a tough time recently but we get through it as a family, and we’ve had a lot of support from work as well. My Divisional Officer put me forward for a Parkdean break as he thought a change in scenery and a break would do our family the world of good, and it will be nice for the whole family to have an organised holiday away, with lots of entertainment for both the children.”
Parkdean Resorts has also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting service personnel by signing up to the Armed Forces Covenant, recognising the value that both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families, contribute to businesses and to the UK in general. Through the Covenant, Parkdean Resorts has attained Bronze Award status on the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS), and supports the employment of Veterans working with Career Transition Partnership (CTP) in order to establish a tailored employment pathway for the 14,000 people who leave the Service each year.
By signing the Armed Forces Covenant Pledge, Parkdean Resorts is promoting the fact that they are an Armed Forces-friendly organisation, and will strive to support the employment of Service spouses and partners, as well as Service Leavers themselves. The business also aims to offer support to local cadet units in communities surrounding their parks, participate in Armed Forces Day, and offer a discount on-park to members of the Armed Forces Community, while they will also be able to access military team-building days for their own training workshops.
