Summer 2016
Join our 15 Year Birthday celebration! Read more pages 4-5
Step back in time A quick journey through Wyldecrest’s history
Get ready for Summer Our Holiday Parks are waiting for you
Exclusive Interview Alfie Best – the man behind Wyldecrest Parks
Celebrating Number 15 Inspirational stories, dreams, tips & much more
www.wyldecrestparks.com
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Static Caravan on private land before works took place…
process of the claim and the repair through to the completion. We offer a guaranteed professional service, carried out by our fully qualified repair teams – either on site or in case of major repair/refurbishment, at our highly equipped workshop.
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Summer 2016
Summer Edition 2016 Published by Wyldecrest Parks Wyldecrest House 857 London Road West Thurrock Essex RM20 3AT Chairman Alfie Best Managing Director Waseem Hanif Estates Director David Sunderland Editorial Enquiries & Advertisement pr@wyldecrestparks.com Telephone 0844 567 7300 Calls cost 7p per minute plus your network access charge.
Email enquiry@wyldecrestparks.com
Happy Birthday to all of us! It seems it was just a couple of days ago that I was here, writing the very first editorial for our very first edition of our brand new magazine. However, three months have already passed by since the Spring edition and here I am again, ready to fulfil the promise I’ve made and to bring to all of you a very special Anniversary edition this Summer! We’ve gone back to the very beginning to share with you a big slice of Wyldecrest’s history – because we never forget that you’re also part of our family’s story! We’ll take you on a trip through our past, we’ll delight you with the best of our present and we’ll dream together about our future. We’ll play with the number 15 over and over again. We’ll bring you the most exclusive interview you’ve ever read with Alfie Best (we had privileged access, you see!). And of course, we never fail to recall our beloved Charity of the Year – Dreams Come True! We’ve tried to bring emotion, inspiration and loads of happiness into this edition! I truly hope we’ll be able to reach our goals: to make you feel spoilt with a big smile on your face! Best wishes from the Wyldecrest Family. Love
Share & Win Follow us on www.wyldecrestparks.com www.wyldecrestholidayparks.com www.wyldecrest.wordpress.com
Have you tried one of our recipes? Have you ever come across an article that has particularly interested you? Have we made you smile? Tell us everything! Share your thoughts and opinions with us and you may be the lucky winner of a surprise gift in our next Autumn edition! Leave us your message on Facebook or Twitter, or you can also write to us or send us an email to pr@wyldecrestparks.com
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Looking back to where it started… Lakev
iew in
2016
Lakeview Park
obile home Romford’s m the 1960’s t in developmen In such a special anniversary edition, we’ve decided to step back in time. As some of you know, Wyldecrest Parks’ history started in 2001 when our Chairman Alfie Best and his wife decided to purchase Lakeview Park in Romford, Essex – our very first mobile home park and the oldest within our current nationwide portfolio. However, we haven’t gone back in time for 15 years only. I visited Arthur’s home some months ago – Arthur & Jean Kempster have recently retired but they had been our Park Managers and part of our family since the very beginning – and I’ve brought with me some precious cuttings of history. That’s how we “travelled” straight to the 1960’s to bring you a (make-you-wish-for-more) slice of this park’s story! A 1960’s Romford newspaper had written: “Caravan sites generally are doing a good job in providing homes for families who would otherwise be a 4
....and Lakeview to
day
burden on others, especially on council house waiting lists. Do the councils appreciate that mobile home parks are helping not only them but the whole nation in easing the pressure during the housing shortage? Perhaps not as much as they should”. The reason for this, the newspaper points out, may be because of the few “black sites” existing at that time. Well… not Lakeview Park though. Fifteen years after Wyldecrest was born, this retirement park is still one of our most popular locations amongst our entire nationwide portfolio. Four decades well before Wyldecrest Parks, someone else had already spotted that
Lakeview Park in Romford, Essex – our very first mobile home park
however. “In Romford alone there are four big sites for mobile homes”, you can keep reading on the same newspaper’s article. “The residents are made up of varied types – retired elderly couples, lonely aged people, evicted tenants and young couples without homes. Two of the sites are poor; one is reasonably good and the other is very good”. Are you already guessing which one was the outstanding one? If you said Lakeview… then you’ve hit the nail on the head!
Vânia Furet
Summer 2016
“My passion is both inherent and developed” I don’t invest in businesses, I invest in people. In this special issue, we couldn’t forget not only how everything started but also who started everything. This time, I’ve left my office to interview the man behind Wyldecrest Parks – luckily I didn’t need to go that far! I’ve just literally taken five steps from my desk into Alfie Best’s office and walked around the glass wall which separates us! I’ve booked a time slot with our lovely executive assistant though, and we’ve put a note on his diary stating “interview with Vânia for magazine” – just in case I couldn’t grab him for enough time while he’s around the office, jumping and flying from one office into another, to a phone call into another, to a meeting into another… but, at the end of the day, he always has time. For Wyldecrest, he always has! Let’s go back 15 years. Why did you decide to invest in this industry? What made you decide to go from mobile phone shops for instance to mobile park homes? I just felt that I knew this industry better than any other due to my background (Alfie was born and raised in a Romany Gypsy family), and I knew the real quality of caravans and park homes as I’ve lived in them most of my life. My passion for this business is inherent as well as it is developed. Lakeview Park was the first mobile home park you bought. Why that particular one? There was no particular reason actually – Romford was on the doorstep of where I used to live at that time, the
park came up for sale and I bought it. I think you can say it was destiny.
the UK, along with a strong European and American foothold.
The company started in 2001. Fifteen years later, what do you see as the most notorious industry change?
You also have other businesses within different industries. What do you look for when you decide to invest in other companies and industry sectors?
I think that people have realised that mobile home living isn’t just an affordable way of living – it’s actually quality of life, where you can live alongside other like-minded people and share a true community spirit, with the added benefit of having properties that most of the time are even better than “brick and mortar” ones, and you can have all of that for less money. Have you ever imagined that Wyldecrest Parks would be what and where it is today? I have to say that I’ve always visualised that we would be a dominant force within the market place… I just didn’t expect that to happen so quickly. What do you feel are the company’s and your biggest achievements? Investing in our team and upgrading our parks to give a better quality of living to all our customers is definitely one of our biggest achievements so far. Alongside that, I’m immensely proud to have won the 2015 Londonloves Excellence Retail & Property Business Award against such well-known companies like Zoopla and Hello Fresh.
That’s easy: commitment and passion to drive the businesses forward. I don’t invest in businesses, I invest in people. Businesses aside… What makes you happy? Seeing my residents happy and seeing them having a better quality of life – knowing that we’re making a difference in people’s lives, that’s what makes me happy (he clearly hasn’t paid attention
to the first part of the question!) When we go to bed at night, pretty regular people like me tend to think about normal day-to-day things – what do you think about? Honestly…I tend to think about what developments we have going on, and what improvements we can make to those same developments. Some people say that our eyes are a window into the soul… what do yours say about you? (laughs) I honestly don’t know…I haven’t looked into them!
(I was happy though to finish this interview with a question he didn’t have an answer for!)
Where do you see Wyldecrest Parks in 15 years’ time? With the grace of God and the support of my team we’ll own 100 parks within 5
Happy 15th from Park Home & Holiday Caravan! An anniversary is always special. A time to celebrate, reflect on past achievements and look to the future. In 2016, the UK’s premier park operator, Wyldecrest Parks, which owns 41 residential sites and six holiday developments across the UK, celebrates its 15th anniversary in style. With a £22 million expansion plan for 2016 alone, including the acquisition of more British parks and even some in continental Europe, the next 12 months look rosy for the group. If we could fast-forward 15 years to 2031, one can only wonder at the accolades and innovations that are in store! Alfie Best and his family are the driving forces behind the company’s
success. In a recent exclusive interview with Park Home & Holiday Caravan (PH&HC), Alfie explained how it all began – crediting wife Emily Jane for convincing him to take the plunge into the park home sector. Alfie said: “You have to blame my wife! She has a zest for park homes and thought we should buy a park site that was for sale in Romford, east London [Lakeview].” The rest, as they say, is history. Lakeview was, indeed, the first Wyldecrest park I visited. Back in 2008, I showed some PH&HC readers and prospective home buyers around the park, as part of a feature for the magazine.
The company has been working with PH&HC since 2005 and we’d like to take this opportunity to thank Alfie and his family for, not only supporting the magazine, but for helping drive up standards in the industry and make the lifestyle more colourful and exciting. Happy anniversary! Alex Melvin, Editor, Park Home & Holiday Caravan Magazine
*For more information about PH&HC, please call 01959 541444 (general enquiries), 0845 872 7385 (new subscriptions) or visit www.parkhomemagazine.co.uk.
Back to Nowadays! From the very first park to the latest developments throughout the country!
Surrey Hills Park, Surrey
6
The Old Rectory Park, Cornwall
Bradgate Park, Kent
Saltmarshe Castle Park, Herefordshire
Summer 2016
Holidays Loading...
Holiday Home Sublet Scheme Fancy earning an extra income from your Holiday Home? Why not let Wyldecrest rent it for you whilst you sit back and let the money roll in? It’s that simple! Ask a member of our team for more information: holidayenquiries@wyldecrestparks.com
Brand New Disabled Friendly Caravan Check out our Brand New Disabled Friendly Caravan that has just arrived at our stunning Saltmarshe Castle Park! Make sure you book your next Holiday here today!
What a treat! We now have Hot Tubs available for our Holidaymakers at Badgers Retreat, Bockenfield Country and Port Haverigg Marina Village holiday parks! Make sure you treat yourself to the best this season – book your stay as soon as possible to avoid disappointment! Call us on 0844 567 8929. Calls cost 7p per minute plus your network access charge.
Now Open!
Half-price Holidays Let your family and friends enjoy a lovely break with us with our special offer of 50% OFF at all our Holiday Parks! Do not forget that this offer is only available for family and friends of owners and is subject to availability! To book your stay or for more information, contact us on 0844 567 8929 or email us to holidayenquiries@wyldecrestparks.com Calls cost 7p per minute plus your network access charge.
Just 1.5 miles away from our stunning Badgers Retreat Holiday Park you can now enjoy a new era of entertainment! The brand new Princes Gate Leisure Complex has something for everyone from some of your favourite retailers to an epic Empire Cinema and an excellent selection of fantastic restaurants, cafes and bars. Do you still need any more reasons to holiday with us or even to buy your very own dream holiday home?!
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Celebrate on our Holiday Parks
Port Haverigg The completely redeveloped Marina front is now officially open at our stunning Port Haverigg Marina Village Holiday Park. A massive refurbishment and upgrade programme is still under way but everything is taking shape perfectly at our Lake District hidden gem.
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Badgers Retreat
Bockenfield Country
Our Badgers Retreat Holiday Park is full of amazing wildlife but, this year, a very special group of long tailed tits, which have been absent from our country for some years, have decided to join us too!
Our exclusive lodge retreat is near completion at Bockenfield Country Holiday Park, almost ready to become one of the most tranquil and relaxing areas at this stunning countryside location. Make sure you choose your plot quickly!
St Cyrus The first development phase at St Cyrus Holiday Park is now completed and ready for the 2016 summer season! It was designed to give families the ability to allow their younger children to play and develop together in a more safe, secure and welcoming environment.
Saltmarshe Castle
Bradgate
Out with the old, in with the new! So far this year, we’ve already replaced around 30 caravans with newer models or even brand new units – this means that we have not only dozens of new customers joining our family at Saltmarshe Castle Park but also existing owners upgrading their caravans. A more modern look but the same good old-fashioned community spirit!
Amazing brand new units just like this one are waiting for you at our stunning Bradgate Park in Margate, Kent! Stock is selling fast on this popular park so make sure you grab your dream home here today!
Summer 2016
What’s On around our parks Saturday 9th July Millom Newtown 150th Anniversary Carnival, Millom, Cumbria – all day
Open & Family Fun Days On Saturday 28th May, we celebrated the company’s 15th Anniversary across all our holiday parks with some awesome Open & Family Fun Days! But if you’ve missed out on these ones, don’t worry – we’re already planning some more! Make sure you come and bring your family and friends along!
Saturday 9th – Sunday 10th July 42nd Scottish Transport Extravaganza, Glamis Castle, Angus, DD8 1RJ www.glamis-castle.co.uk
Sunday 17th July 10th Anniversary of the Northumberland Coast Path. Guided walks along the entire route with the path originator Iain Robson. www.northumberlandcoastpath.org Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th July – Nozstock : The Hidden Valley – Free-spirited summer arts festival, Bromyard, HR7 4LS www.nozstock.com Wednesday 10th August Will’s Military Wander: a walk round Richmond spotting the clues to its military past, Richmond, North Yorkshire – Free www.greenhowards.org.uk
Take a look at some of our Holiday Homes for sale on page 15 9
15 Dreams to fulfil – Wyldecrest Parks’ Charity of the Year
Jessica, age 19, from Lincolnshire, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in September 2015. Jessica’s dream is to spend a weekend away at a spa relaxing with her boyfriend now that she has finished her chemotherapy treatment.
Maddy, age 17, from Gloucester, has leukaemia. Her dream is to go on an intensive driving course to help her with passing her test, which will allow her to have a more independent life and be in the same position as many of her friends.
Beau is 10 years old and lives in East Sussex. He has Downs Syndrome, Autism and a condition that affects his spine. Beau’s dream is to have a wheeled fold up adapted bike so he can cycle down by the seaside and join in with the other children.
In January 2015, Zayn, 2 years old, was diagnosed with a Wilm’s tumour, a type of tumour that affects the kidney. He had to have an operation, chemotherapy and several other hospital admissions and his hearing, speech and social interaction skills started to deteriorate, but fortunately he is slowly learning to speak again. His dream is to go to Disneyland Paris.
Gregor, age 6, from Perth, has Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. During his chemotherapy and recovery, Gregor spent a great deal of time on his tablet and the two people he loves watching the most are Evan & Stampylongnose who are both toy and game reviewers on YouTube. His dream is to meet them.
George, aged 3, is an adventurous young boy who lives with autism and loves to play outdoors. When it’s time to leave the park and go home, he gets very upset and frustrated as he would love to play all day if he could. He dreams of having his own outdoor bouncy castle in his garden so playtime can last even longer!
How you can make a difference You can visit the website and make your donation online Go to www.wyldecrestparks.com/about-us /dreams-come-true 10
Or Text WYLD15 plus the amount you wish to donate to 70070. For example WYLD15£5.
Summer 2016
Living with a rare and complex genetic condition, Eva, age 9, from Norfolk, has a number of significant difficulties to face at such a young age. She dreams of having a specially made tricycle so that she can enjoy playing outside with her family.
Alexander is 5 years old and lives in London. He was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of just 2. As he is a huge fan of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Alexander’s dream is to go to Disneyland Paris to meet them.
Chloe, age 7, from Suffolk, has autism and hypermobility. Chloe finds it difficult to interact with other children but she loves the Disney film, Frozen. Her dream is to go to Disneyland Paris at Christmas and stay in a magical Disney hotel.
Nicole, aged 12, from Stockport, has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and limited mobility. Nicole’s dream is to have some sensory equipment for her bedroom.
Lauren is 17 years old and lives in Kent. Last summer, Lauren was diagnosed with cancer and has been receiving treatment. Her dream is to go to Dubai and swim with the dolphins.
Ruby is 2 years old and has a very rare condition, Niemann-pick type c, which results in liver disease and developmental problems. Her dream is to go to Peppa Pig World.
Charlie, age 19, from Bristol, was diagnosed with cancer last year. He simply loves his guitar and his dream is to see ‘Bayside’ on tour in the USA and be able to experience first-hand the music scene in America.
Scarlett, aged 10, from Portsmouth, is deaf, visually impaired, autistic and has learning difficulties. Her dream is to visit Lapland and Santa. And she bets she can beat him in a snowball fight!
Claire, age 11, from Lanark, has cerebral palsy. She is in a wheelchair and is unable to use her hands so she cannot play with toys. However, she loves the sensory room at school so Claire’s dream is to have some sensory equipment she could keep at home.
You can also go and see your Park Manager or leave your donation in the collection box provided on park.
If you’d like to add an extra £0.10 on your monthly site fees towards this cause for as long as you wish, please write to our Head Office or email Doina Arnautu on accounts3@wyldecrestparks.com If you have any ideas to help us fundraise or activities you’d like us to help you with, please email us on pr@wyldecrestparks.com 11
15 inspirational stories to brighten up your Summer (even more!) Success at 60 +
During this year, throughout our four magazine editions, we aim to bring you 15 inspirational stories of people we met along this special year’s journey. People with inspirational lives, people who find inspiration even in the smallest things or people who live to try and inspire others!
Remember our “Success at 60 +” inspiring Jane Aireton from last edition? Well, Jane and her book co-author Bridget auditioned as cruise lecturers and, at very short notice, they found themselves on the way to the Mediterranean on the Saga line. They told us they met wonderful and inspirational people who taught them as much as they were taught. Back on “terra firma” again, Jane has just started her new “career” as a vlogger – she now films her daily life to show how Superliving can work out in practice and she shares those episodes on YouTube channel “Success at 60+”.
Running for Love “Running and Red Wine” was born in May 2015. Julie Scott, 50, convinced her company’s CEO to allow her to enter a team in the Marathon du Medoc, a race famous for its chateaux and wine tasting. The original idea behind it was to chart the progress of zero to hero of a team of work colleagues. However, Julie found that she actually loves blogging and “Running and Red Wine” has continued to take shape. Julie, who’s passionate for food and drink, and thanks to iplayer, never misses an episode of ‘Saturday Kitchen’, moved to France in 2006. Before leaving the UK though, she started running with a club in the early nineties but due to her hectic life it soon fell by the wayside. In 2012 however, she started to run again but this time with a “bigger-than-life” purpose – fundraising. Her daughter had been diagnosed with cancer and she 12
decided to enter the Great South Run to raise funds for the Sussex Cancer Trust who was providing her daughter’s care at that time. Over the next two years, her fundraising has continued for causes such as Cancer Research, Macmillan and St Michael’s Hospice. Sadly, Rebecca lost her fight in November 2013 but Julie has continued to run…always for love, in her memory, with her daughter’s photo on her back. Running helped her manage her grief and got her through the hardest times. Since December 2015, Julie has been running a minimum of 1 mile a day and she’s heading towards her fifth marathon and her first ultra-race. Her biggest achievement so far had been when she finished her first marathon as she never thought she would be capable of that, but her proudest moment was
becoming a grandmother – her 3 and 8 year old grandsons keep her on her toes, she guarantees. And being fit and healthy means that she can enjoy being a grandmother – but she draws the line when it comes to football! You can discover more of Julie’s running challenges and adventures on her blog: pierrescouchees.wordpress.com
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Residential Homes from just *
£75,995
Time to downsize or just take it easy? It’s time to consider a retirement park home.
Park home of the month
Omar Tudor** 50ft x 20ft Shirkoak Park, Bethersden Road, Woodchurch, Ashford, Kent TN26 3RP
COMING SOON
Omar Tudor 40ft x 20ft
Omar Accent 50ft x 20ft
Seville 37ft x 12ft
Willow Park, Colliery Lane, Gladstone Way, Mancot, Deeside, Flintshire CH5 2TX
Bridgend Park, Brewery Road, Wooler, Northumberland NE71 6QG
Bryn Gynog Park, Hendre Road, Conwy, Wales LL32 8NF
£115,000
£124,995
£45,000
Omar Regency** 36ft x 20ft
Pathfinder Gatehouse** 40ft x 20ft
Omar Middleton** 40ft x 20ft
Saxon Park, Barretts Lane, Needham Market, Ipswich, Suffolk IP6 9SA
The Old Rectory Mews, St Columb Major, Cornwall TR9 6BZ
Wickens Meadow, Rye Lane, Dunton Green, Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 5JB
COMING SOON
COMING SOON
COMING SOON
14
Terms and conditions apply. **Manufacturers image.
*
Summer 2016
All the comforts of home, all the excitement of a great holiday - every day!
Holiday Homes from just *
£8,995
Holiday home of the month
Avonmore 32ft x 12ft Bradgate Park, Manston Court Road, Margate, Kent CT9 4LG
£76,500
Omar Southwold Platinum 40ft x 14ft
Atlas Ruby Super 35ft x 12ft
Stately Albion Seawood 38ft x 12ft
Badgers Retreat, Tunstall, Richmond, North Yorkshire DL10 7RF
Saltmarshe Castle Park, Stourport Road, Bromyard, Herefordshire HR7 4PN
Bockenfield Country Park, Felton, Nr. Morpeth, Northumberland NE65 9QJ
£69,995
£33,995
£34,995
Rio Gold 32ft x 10ft
Cosalt Resort 34ft x 10ft
Willerby Lyndhurst Millennium 38ft x 12ft
Atlas Everglade 35ft x 12ft
Bradgate Park, Manston Court Road, Margate, Kent CT9 4LG
Saltmarshe Castle Park, Stourport Road, Bromyard, Herefordshire HR7 4PN
Port Haverigg Marina Village, Haverigg, Millom, Cumbria LA18 4LG
Bockenfield Country Park, Felton, Nr. Morpeth, Northumberland NE65 9QJ
£52,995
£14,995
£11,995
£30,995
Terms and conditions apply.
*
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Reduced fuel costs for over 80’s Are you aged 80 plus and have a low income? Wyldecrest Parks wants to help you enjoy a cosy and warm winter with our reduced fuel costs. If you’d like to apply for this offer, which will run from December 2016 until February 2017, please make sure you contact our team as soon as possible. The applications for receiving the benefit of having winter fuel discounted rates are open now for our over 80’s home owners throughout all our parks.
Call our Head Office on 0844 567 7300 and ask to speak with our accounts department for more information. Calls cost 7p per minute plus your network access charge.
ADVERTORIAL FEATURE
Modernising your Park Home SH Park Home Services carry out full refurbishment works on roofs and all interior areas of your park home. This includes full modernisation works on older park homes, bringing them back up to modern expectations. This is achieved by installing new internal ceilings, reconfiguring wall positions to allow for bigger rooms and to create a living area which is fully adapted and personalised to meet the clients’ needs. SH Park Home Services also can carry out small extensions for extra room space meeting all park home regulations. The company, which has been working on numerous Wyldecrest Parks, aims to give you the park home of your dreams, all in line with current and high standards. 16
BEFORE
“When I started looking for a company to do a full refurbishment on my mobile home, I had no idea or knowledge in this area… but Spencer and his great team came and sorted out all the work and gave me a brand new home! For all you have done to turn my sad and rundown mobile home in to a palace, I would like to say a big thank you – it has been a pleasure to meet with a company
AFTER
that prides itself on good old-fashioned customer service values. If you’re thinking of refurbishing a mobile home, please speak with SH Park Home Services because, with this company on board, you will get the best service and no hassle at all!”. Julie Truzzi-Franconi, Wickens Meadow Park
If you are interested in any type of refurbishment work, please contact SH Park Home Services on 0808 108 7860 (Freephone), 01206 213 181 or email their friendly team on repairs@shparkhomes.co.uk
Summer 2016
One day, he just found the right words…
Our Chairman Alfie Best will be part of the Budding Entrepreneur Club on 14th September! www.tbeclub.com
Entrepreneur, mentor, public speaker. No one would ever have said that Ollie, who suffered from dyslexia and left school aged 16 without qualifications, would have been all of this at the age of just 18 years old. However, that little boy who used to make his parents tea and coffee and charge them 20p a cup (plus an extra 20p per re-heating!) actually started his very first business at the age of 13 – an online gift shop for teenagers. He noticed that, by that time, teenagers just loved friendship bracelets – and that was it! The business just started! He sold 400 items within 6 months and had a turnover of £13,000 by the end of the first year. Ollie’s Shop is still one of his current businesses, alongside The Budding Entrepreneur Magazine, which enables entrepreneurs to search for advice, tips and helpful stories to help them start their own businesses. In fact, Ollie himself has also found that inspiration in someone else – he has always looked up to self-made billionaire Richard Branson as he suffers from dyslexia as well, but despite that, has built his own way to a tremendous, successful life. Being dyslexic affected him academically, Ollie explains, however he never was that type of person who liked school. He wanted to meet people, develop ideas, turn them into reality and, most importantly, inspire others to do great things. That’s why he
really enjoys his role as a public speaker at schools - those same institutions he hopes will invest more in entrepreneurship in the near future. And enterprise is exactly what runs in his veins: Ollie’s dream is to IPO (initial public offering) a company before he’s 27 years old, which would make him the youngest person to do so. Did he forget the rough times he had in the past then?, we did ask. No. Of course he hasn’t. But he explains. “It’s like a recession”, Ollie says. “You just have to battle through
it until it is over”. And I believe we can say the battle is not only ended…but it’s actually won! Ollie’s moving from Northamptonshire to London this Summer due to his most recent project – The Budding Entrepreneur Club – which he hopes to take to 50 cities within the next five to eight years. You can find out more about Ollie’s projects on www.tbemagazine.com and www.ollieforsyth.com. 17
15 things to do this Summer… without spending a penny Have a picnic Sun’s out, temperatures are rising… what’s better for a day out than a picnic? Camp in your back garden Especially if you have children or grandchildren around! Your own camp site in your back garden will guarantee an entire day packed with fun! Go on a bike ride or long walk We can guarantee that you don’t need to go far to discover something new. Just take a walk or a bike ride to some of the streets around your town and you’ll be surprised how pleasant it can be. Redecorate your home We know we’ve said “without spending any money”…and that’s true! You don’t need to spend a penny to redecorate your home! Summer is all about light, bright colours and sun – slightly change the position of some items in your living room to allow the sunlight to shine even more through your windows. Pack up your wintry and dark decorative pieces and allow your living spaces to be more clean, fresh and simple. Put your favourite tea service on the table, white or colourful towels in the bathroom and change your warm bed sheets for some cool fresh ones. Look out for free festivals and fairs Google knows everything – just do a quick search on some free events in your area and you’ll be amazed with everything you can do without spending money.
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Try new recipes If you’re into cooking and/or baking, summer is the perfect time to try out some new recipes. Take a look at your dusty cook books on the shelves and go to the kitchen (or to the barbecue!). And if you have kids around, grab them to help you too. Visit your local library You can not only find an infinite number of fantastic books in your local library, but also CD’s and DVD’s … and most libraries have loads of activities for kids and grown-ups, for free! Organise a “cupboard ingredients” dinner Invite your family and friends for a dinner where they all need to bring one or more ingredients that have been forgotten in their cupboards for a long time (please double check expiry dates though!). The challenge? Produce a dinner using all those ingredients. It will be fun for all and you’ll have a free dinner! Organise a party Yes, we know – we always spend money organising parties. Well, why not ask each one of the guests to bring something with them? You’ll have free food and drinks and hours and hours of good gathering. If you need to incite them, you can always organise it to raise funds for a charity. Do a scrapbook This is also an amazing thing to do with children. Grab some old photos that you’ve been collecting throughout the years and create a scrapbook with them. You do not need to spend any money
at all, simply use everything you have at home for decoration – ribbon, buttons, colourful paper, etc. Being creative is (still!) free of charge. Have a family reunion Invite those family members you haven’t seen or spoken to in a while and spend some time together this summer. Organise a garden or garage sale Not only it is a great way to get rid of those things you no longer use but it is also a great way of making some extra money (maybe for your summer holidays?!) Make some handmade cards Birthdays, Thank you, Christmas Cards…it doesn’t matter! Spend some time making your own cards to use whenever you need until the end of the year and invite your children and grandchildren to help you! Become a volunteer Not only is this an amazing way for you to get involved in helping others but it’s also a great way of participating in different activities as volunteer groups and communities usually have quite a busy calendar of events. Make homemade Christmas gifts Yes, we know it’s Summer and you don’t want to have your mind set on winter but making homemade gifts in advance can be such a summery pleasant task, especially if you use seasonal fruits to create your very own and most amazing jams! And some of those lovely and aromatic infused cooking oils will be even better after some months resting in the bottles.
Summer 2016
illi with d chives and ch Mix the choppe st... eds, lemon ze both sesame se
Summer Suggestion
Herbs and Seed Crusted Burgers Ingredients (for 8 burgers): 700 grams minced meat (half pork, half chicken or turkey) Pinch of salt, pepper, granulated garlic and dried oregano 1 handful chopped fresh chives ½ fresh chilli, finely chopped 2 tbsp lemon zest 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese 1 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp white sesame seeds 1 tbsp black sesame seeds Feta cheese
Method: Place the minced meat in a bowl and season it well with salt, pepper, garlic and dried oregano. Mix well with your hands and divide it into 8 identical balls, shaping each of them into a burger of around 2cm thickness. Arrange the burgers on a large tray and place them in the fridge for at least 2 hours or in the freezer for around 20 minutes. On a large chopping board, mix the chopped chives and chilli with both sesame seeds, lemon zest and grated cheese. In a small bowl, mix together the mustard and olive oil. With a pastry brush, generously brush it around the burgers and carefully roll them over the herbs and seeds mix, pressing slightly to make sure they keep a nice coating. Grill the burgers on the barbecue outdoors or cook them indoors using a grilling pan. Drizzle them with a splash of fresh lemon juice, sprinkle in some crumbled feta cheese and enjoy the colourful taste of Summer!
rbs e he er th v o l them ... rol 19
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Park of the Year If you believe that your park is the best of our nationwide portfolio, then send us your nomination for Park of The Year!
Complete the entry form below and send it back to: Vânia Furet, Wyldecrest House, 857 London Road, West Thurrock, RM20 3AT.
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Name:_______________________________________ Park:_________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Postcode:_____________________________________ Telephone: ___________________________________ Email:________________________________________ My park deserves this nomination because:__________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________________________________________ What I love the most about my park is/are___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ I have owned a home at this park for _____ months/years
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Special offer when you take out Safeguard insurance.
Buy a new annual Safeguard Park Home insurance policy and if it’s still active 30 days after your policy start date, we’ll send you a £40 National Trust Gift Card. Simply call us on 0800 466 1647 and quote NTGC. This offer may be withdrawn at any time and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. The Temple of Apollo – Clive Nichols
Call us on 0800 466 1647 for your Park Home insurance quote today or visit safeguarduk.co.uk Safeguard is a division of Swinton Group Limited, registered in England number 756681 whose registered office is at: Swinton House, 6 Great Marlborough Street, Manchester, M1 5SW. Calls are recorded for training and quality purposes. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Summer 2016
Being your own boss…after 50! Nowadays, Toni Mackenzie is an author, hypnotherapist, psychotherapist and life coach who sees herself as a wise, strong and self-empowered woman. However, life hasn’t always been like that. Toni used to work as a senior air stewardess until she got married and became a full-time mum. After her divorce in her early forties, her ex-husband left the country to work overseas and she and her family didn’t see or hear from him again. She has found herself in a position where she had to provide for both herself and her young children. Toni was then looking for a new direction in life. As she’d always been fascinated by the power of mind, she did a psychology course and read some inspirational books which helped her to start thinking differently. After signing up for a 3 year counselling diploma and working for several years as a counsellor, she then completed further training in clinical hypnotherapy, psychotherapy and life coaching and it was then that she decided to set up her own therapy business. Now turned 60 years old (exactly what she answers when questioned about her age!), she guarantees that it was definitely a life-changing decision. “Being in my 50’s could have potentially stopped me from taking a chance and starting up a new business”, she explains. But it was never an issue for her.
“Some people have limiting beliefs about what you can or can’t do when you’re a certain age and those beliefs can often hold them back. I really do feel that age is just a number – some people are ‘old’ at 40, others are ‘young’ at 70 plus!” Toni has been running her own business for just over 10 years now, in a relaxed, confident and free way, and enjoys being her “own boss” both in her career and personal life. And she has no doubts that she’s happier now than before. “I know from personal experience that happiness is a choice and it comes from inside. Material possessions, relationships, temporary enjoyable experiences and the approval or admiration you may receive from other people can help you to feel happy, but they either come to an end or can be taken away from you. No-one can take away the happiness that you create from within”. Her first book “Your Flight to Happiness: a 7-Step Journey to Emotional Freedom” went straight into the Amazon bestseller list on the day it was released and it’s still there. For more information on Toni Mackenzie’s book and her professional services, please visit www.innerdepths.co.uk
Special Delivery! Straight from Cornwall to Herefordshire! These amazing field guns are being hand-built by our Glenleigh Park resident Dennis Wright and they will soon be delivered to our astonishing Saltmarshe Castle Park, as part of the historic reconstruction we are doing at the Bromyard’s located site.
Sale & Swap Shop Do you have any products that you would like to sell or exchange? Send us some pictures, a brief description of the product and their prices and we’ll advertise them for you, free of charge, in our magazine and online channels. 23
Out & About on our parks Direct Debit Winners!
Mr & Mrs Hart, St Cyrus Holiday Park
A superb stay at Port Haverigg Mrs Jill Fox, Wickens Meadow Park Thanks to all of you who have already switched to direct debit payments! Don’t forget – everyone who pays by direct debit can be one of the lucky winners of our regular free prize draw!
“I just wanted to say that my family and I had a superb stay at the Port Haverigg Holiday Park in Cumbria this Easter Holiday. We were able to spend some quality time together and visit some beautiful places. We even managed to squeeze in a climb up Scafell Pike! Our dog Jake was also allowed to accompany us too which was great! He enjoyed our company and we loved having him with us (although I’m not sure he’d thank us for taking him up Scafell Pike).” We’re more than delighted to hear those lovely comments from Angus Campbell, the first soldier to enjoy one of five holiday breaks that Wyldecrest Parks has recently donated to Give Us Time, a charity that takes donated holidays and matches them with military families in need of rest, rehabilitation and reconnection after tours of duty.
Park Manager of the Year The Park Manager of the Year competition is back! We’re going to elect the 2016 best Park Manager and your vote counts the most! Tell us who you think should win this award this year and why. Send your nomination to Vânia Furet by email to pr@wyldecrestparks.com or by post to: Wyldecrest House, 857 London Road, West Thurrock, Essex, RM20 3AT. 24
This amazing 2 bedroom Omar Tudor park home has just arrived at our stunning Willow Park in Deeside, Flintshire! Call us today for more information on how to enjoy a luxury retirement lifestyle!
Summer 2016
(Not so)
Legal issues Out & About
by Estates Director & In-house Litigator David Sunderland
in our Head Office Company Conference
In an earlier newsletter, I wrote about how you should go about dealing with a sale or dispute and whether or not to use the services of a solicitor. If you do decide to choose a solicitor, which one should you choose? There are a small number of mobile home park solicitors out there and a vast choice of solicitors with little or no mobile home park knowledge. It should be remembered that all solicitors are regulated and duty bound to look after your interests. Solicitors who have little or no mobile home park knowledge will research this to ensure that they fulfil their obligations and will tend to be very thorough to ensure that they do not miss anything. Some solicitors who put themselves
out as park home specialists may have personal knowledge of park owners and can charge high rates for the benefit of their experience. One such park home specialist solicitor based in Exeter recently charged a resident over £6000 to represent them at what he described as a simple matter. In the circumstances, a local solicitor could have been appointed for a few hundred pounds and a local junior barrister represented at the one hour hearing for under £1000. Whoever you decide to choose, make sure you get a quote first and know how much expenditure you may face. You may even be able to negotiate a fixed fee.
Park Village Resident Told to Pay Up Recently we had our 4th company conference in Leicester – it was such an amazing day! Thank you to all of you – we’re definitely better together!
Big Birthdays!
At Perth Sheriff Court, a resident on Park Village Crieff was ordered to pay water rates dating back to 2011. Retired surveyor Richard Haseltine, who resides on Park Village in Crieff, tried to convince the Court that he believed his water rates were
included in his pitch fee despite admitting to having paid Perth and Kinross Council water rates for 5 years, claiming he had not noticed. The Sheriff did not believe him and ordered him to pay almost £1000 plus costs.
IPHAS call for higher pitch fees
Happy Birthday to Jo Harmsworth, Lucy Hill, Mark Hipperson and Kirsty Steingold! They’re all celebrating round number birthdays this year. Now all you have to do is to guess the numbers before their zeros!
At a recent First-tier Tribunal hearing in London, senior consultant officer of the Independent Park Home Advisory Service Allan Savory told the Tribunal that pitch fees should not be reduced if a Council reduce or remove their annual site licence fee, which can now be included in the annual pitch fee review. He told the Tribunal that once it was in the pitch fee, the annual licence fee should remain and be increased by RPI at the inflated level even if the Council reduce or remove the charge, meaning that residents
could be overpaying for a charge or paying for one which did not exist. Estates Director David Sunderland argued for Wyldecrest that this was unfair and that it was only fair and reasonable that the pitch fee should reflect the actual cost of the licence fee and that residents should not be made to pay inflated pitch fees, so if the Council reduced its fees, this should be reflected at the next review. The Tribunal are due to publish its decision in late May and I will report this in the next edition. 25
The taste of Luxury Created in Cambridgeshire, handcrafted using only the finest ingredients, Givinity is the name on the tip of everyone’s tongue! The brand’s earning its place in the sun and we’re sure you will also fall in love with it this Summer! A London dry gin, bottled in a cognac-style decanter printed with 11 carat precious gold, that’s only on offer in some of London’s most prestigious venues, from 5 star hotels and private members clubs to luxury retail
stores and Michelin star restaurants! The best part of it is it’s also available for all of our readers! Email info@givinitygin.com and mention code Wyldecrest to receive your 20% OFF Special Discount! What are you waiting for to grab this amazing opportunity? Check Givinity’s amazing range of Luxury Gin’s on www.givinitygin.com and order your favourite today!
Cinema, sleepovers and everything inbetween!
Gluten Free…but full of Award Winning Taste! Eat Square has just won Taste of the West Silver Awards for two of their yummy gluten and dairy free pies! The Free Range Chicken & Leek Pie was developed by Eat Square executive chef Melanie Booth and despite being gluten and dairy free, is packed full of great taste that has now been recognized. The second award winner was the Roast Vegetable Pie which is not only gluten and dairy free but also fully vegan! They’re “free”… but definitely not on taste! 26
Do not forget that Eat Square offers all our readers free next day delivery on all online orders!
The Cinema Sleepover Club has been a tremendous success and we can’t wait for the Summer sessions! Make sure you grab your tickets today for July, August and September events and be part of this unique experience which combines all the highlights of a night out, camping, cinema, clubbing, drinking, shopping, street food and much more! Visit www.cinemasleepoverclub.co.uk for more information.
Visit Eat Square Pie Shop at www.eatsquare.co.uk, choose your favourite pies and enter the code BESTPIES at the online checkout! The code can be used multiple items and can be shared with friends or given as a gift – as can the pies!
Selling top quality goods at low prices!!
www.kyotoclearance.co.uk
Summer 2016
“Writing stories was the only thing I was ever good at” The first childhood memories Bryony has are of living in a Cornish farmhouse with no running water or electricity. She was allowed, even as a very small child, to wander the countryside freely, so when she started at the Victorian village school she felt as if she had been put in a prison. Throughout her childhood, Bryony would feign illness to avoid school, both because she hated it so much and because sometimes her father would disappear without explanation. She found out later that his absences were due to him being in hospital. He died when she was 10, and on that day, sadly, she did go to school. Writing stories was the only thing Bryony Doran was ever any good at, even though her writing and spelling skills were atrocious. In 2004 she found out the reason why – she is dyslexic. But in spite of this, when she was 50 years old, Bryony graduated with a MA in Creative Writing from Sheffield Hallam University. Today, Bryony, 61, lives her life as an author and poet. She considers herself as an “intuitive” writer, partly due to her dyslexia, which she says gives her an edge when it comes to writing creatively. For her final edits, though, she has to rely on her partner, who is also a writer and publisher.
Bryony loves to write about the “fascinating and intricate interactions” between us all and never tires of observing people. Her first novel “The China Bird” was a big success. You can find out more about Bryony, the books she has written, and the coaching and mentoring service she offers, from her website. People seek help for many different reasons, Bryony says of her coaching service – a lack of self-belief for instance, or maybe they just need help with their actual writing. When we asked Bryony if her age had positively influenced her writing, surprisingly she said she’s not sure. “I think as you get older you have to be careful not to get into a rut”, she states. “A writer needs to keep opening up new worlds and to keep being stimulated. I suppose on the plus side, age increases life experiences.” And we’d say – what a life experience this one is! Visit www.bryonydoran. com to read some of her latest stories, poems and publications. Her books are available on Amazon, Wordery and other online sites.
GIVEAWAY! We’re sure that you haven’t forgotten ‘Angel’ Alison Ward, our inspirational mentor and smiler interviewed for our Spring issue? Well… she hasn’t forgotten all of you either! She’s offering to TWO of our lucky reader’s copies of her most recent books – “Bringing You Back To You” and “Awarded by Angels”. For your chance to WIN one of those, send us your name, contact details and park address by post or email us on pr@wyldecrestparks.com. We also accept entries via Facebook and Twitter! Good Luck!
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Our Gardening Competition is back Sponsored by Towergate Insurance That’s true! Get your garden ready and beautiful because we have a brand new Gardening Competition waiting for you! This year, we’ve partnered with Towergate Insurance and we’re going to select not only the most blooming marvellous garden at one of our Residential Parks but we’ll also be looking for the most gorgeous suggestion of container gardening on decking at our Holiday Parks! Send us some pictures showing the results of your amazing gardening skills, along with your name, park address and contact details before 2nd September 2016 for your chance to win! You can either email us on pr@wyldecrestparks.com or write to Vânia Furet, Wyldecrest House, 857 London Road, West Thurrock, RM20 3AT.
Top Gardening Tips We’ve gone mad on Twitter again asking our favourite gardening experts for the best tips for this season! @FromTheField The lovely warmer weather can often mean constant trips outside with the watering can, so any ways to help your plants stay hydrated can only be of benefit. Cut the bottoms off used plastic drinks bottles, remove the lid and sink the bottle upside down into the ground next to a thirsty plant. Pour water into the upturned bottle and the water will get right 24
down to the roots. Any mulch, even grass cuttings, will help retain ground moisture. Use flowering plants such as Alyssum or aromatic herbs such as Thyme to create moisture retentive ground cover and as an added bonus, also keep weeds at bay. Deborah Luck
@
@myflowerpatch If you have grown sweet peas keep picking them to avoid them going to seed. The more you pick the more flowers you will get. You could easily be picking sweet peas every three days to enjoy their scent indoors. At the end of the summer you can allow the plants to set seed and collect them. Sara Willman @lucylocket_love Early mornings are the best time to water plants to prevent wilting and them getting sunburnt. Lucy Locket