Weeley Bridge Holiday Park, Clacton on Sea, is set to host a day of activities and entertainment to celebrate the opening of a new caravan that will provide armed forces veterans and Chelsea Pensioners with free holidays. Chairman of Tendring Council, Peter Harris, will also be offering his support and will officially open the new holiday home.
Taking place on Saturday 2nd July, the event will include entertainment, kids’ activities, a raffle and an auction to raise money for charity UK Homes 4 Heroes, and the Chelsea Pensioners and local Pearly Kings and Queens will also be in attendance. The caravan was recently purchased by UK Homes 4 Heroes to offer respite holidays for veterans and their families, and is the second caravan the charity now owns at the park.
Weeley Bridge, which is owned by Parkdean Resorts, the UK’s leading holiday park operator, is a major employer in the community, with 50 staff in peak season. The park welcomed over 7,000 visitors last year, providing a significant boost to the local economy, and with advance bookings at record levels, the award-winning company expects even more holidaymakers for 2022.
Nationally, Parkdean Resorts supports a number of causes and charities, with partnerships with SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity, as well as the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity, and the Army Central Fund, raising funds for armed forces personnel and veterans, and offering free holiday breaks to specially selected serving personnel and their families. The company is currently working towards achieving the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, and is also set to sponsor this year’s Armed Forces Day National Event.
Rob Warner, Operations Director, Parkdean Resorts, said: “We always want to create a positive social impact, and our team all live locally, so they love getting involved in anything that makes a real difference to our community. We’re thrilled to be able to support the fantastic work UK Homes 4 Heroes do in giving veterans and their families free holidays, and to continue the work we do with the armed forces at Parkdean Resorts. We know they will create wonderful memories at Weeley Bridge.”
Stacey Hall, General Manager, Weeley Bridge Holiday Park, said: “It’s a privilege to support UK Homes 4 Heroes and we’re hoping to raise as much money as possible on 2nd July. It will be a brilliant day with something for everyone to enjoy for a very worthy cause!”
In April, Parkdean Resorts announced a cash injection of more than £300,000 in Weeley Bridge for 2022, as part of a record £140m nationwide investment programme. The park has seen upgraded caravans and parkwide Wi-Fi capability installed to further improve the guest experience.
Earlier this year, Parkdean Resorts also launched 25 commitments which it will achieve by 2025, across Environment, Society and Governance, including attracting and developing diverse talent, building sustainable relationships with local communities, reducing CO2 by 25%, a 75% reduction in waste to landfill, and the publication of an annual report detailing how it will care for its Parks, People and Planet.
