Sarah makes award shortlist
Having clinched the title of regional winner in the Enterprise Award category, Sarah, along with her mother and business partner Julie Gregory, is preparing to travel to the finals which take place at the House of Lords next month.
by Jack Webster
A TOURISM ‘dynamo’ from the north east has earned herself a place in the finals of the national Countryside Alliance awards for her enterprising holiday accommodation business.
Sarah Gregory, of Springhill Farm Accommodation near Seahouses, was one of thousands who entered the awards – dubbed the ‘Rural Oscars’ – which celebrate the characters, produce, traditions and enterprise of the countryside through the people who make it happen.
Having clinched the title of regional winner in the enterprise award category, Sarah, along with her mother and business partner Julie, is preparing to travel to the finals which take place at the House of Lords next month.
Sarah, 24, said: “I can’t believe we have got this far in the competition. Looking at the other finalists who include Chatsworth House, a county food and drink group and a community enterprise business, we’re really proud and honoured to have got this far in the competition.
“Tourism is our life. As well as doing all we can to attract all types of different visitors to the area, we employ local people all year round, promote local businesses, products and services in our community to our guests and at all times do our best to be ambassadors for Northumberland.”
Sarah, who lives in Seahouses, said: “I would like to say a big thank you to my family – especially my mum, who has inspired me and given me the confidence to get more involved in the business and has backed my vision and ideas.
“If I hadn’t got involved in managing the business I would definitely have had to move away to find work. But thanks to my family and believing in our dream we’re where we are today.
“I am looking forward to the awards but I am a bit nervous. Whatever happens we’ll have a great night and will be doing our bit to put Springhill and north Northumberland on the map.”
Julie said: “I am very proud of Sarah and what she has achieved. She puts 100 per cent into the business and is extremely passionate about the holiday enterprise and our community. She single-handedly managed the major bunkhouse accommodation project from funding to build to decor. It now fills a much-needed gap in the market locally for low cost, single night accommodation. It also means we now employ 14 people from the local area all year round.
“Working together as a family is very special. Sarah, her brother Simon, my husband Colin and I work very well together as a team. I don’t think there are many mothers who are lucky enough to be able to have that opportunity.”
A member of the Countryside Alliance judging panel said of Sarah: “I was greatly impressed by the brains behind this enterprise. Sarah has had a vision and really gone for it.
“She took on a holiday-lets business from her mum’s small on-farm business and in only five years since leaving school she has transformed the redundant byres and created a holiday location with a barn, cottages and coastal wigwams!
“She emphasises the ‘buy local’ message to her guests, one close to her heart since the family farm was culled out during foot and mouth disease.
“She is a tourism dynamo now, a real ambassador, and Springhill could have up to 300 guests staying on-farm at once. I certainly commend this enterprise to the national panel. I wanted to stay!”
Alice Barnard, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance said: “As chairman of the national judging panel it will be my privilege to stand up at the House of Lords finals in front of regional winners and supportive Parliamentarians, and declare a British champion in each category.
“The ‘Rural Oscars’ are now in their sixth year and every year they get stronger and stronger.”
“These awards are a unique celebration of every aspect of rural life and show that community spirit and our British love of local food appears to be recession-proof. I look forward to announcing the national champions in due course, but until then I would like to congratulate all of our winners for their incredible achievements.”
Springhill Farm Accommodation is a unique visitor accommodation concept which runs alongside the Gregory family’s 400-acre working organic farm. The foot and mouth crisis ten years ago prompted Julie to ramp up the farm’s tourism offer.
The farm now delivers a full spectrum of accommodation offer - from self-catering cottages to a bunkhouse and five wigwams.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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