Supporting our local communities is an important part of our business at English Lakes Hotels. Below you can see some of the projects we help to support across Lancashire and Cumbria.
English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues is committed to a programme of reducing our carbon footprint by planting trees in our local area. This will not only tackle climate change and prevent future flooding, but also preserve the beauty of the countryside for future generations to enjoy.
Each guest is invited to give a voluntary donation of £1 at the end of their stay. Most are happy to contribute in the knowledge that the money raised is working hard to protect and maintain the landscape for future generations.
The money raised is used to support a host of projects across Cumbria and Lancashire, delivered by committed organisations who are working hard to protect our beautiful landscape, support local communities and promote our wonderful heritage.
Cumbria Community Foundation supports individuals, families and communities by addressing disadvantage in many forms. Every year they support over 500 projects; since 1999 they have invested over £44 million into nearly 4,000 groups and 8,000 individuals.
In 2019 English Lakes supported Windermere, Ambleside and District Angling Association (WADAA), through the community foundation. The project was to improve access at Castlehead Tarn, providing wheelchair access to the area and helping to open up the sport to the wider community.
For over sixteen years English Lakes supported the Lake District Foundation. Raising nearly £200,000 to help minimise the adverse impacts of tourism, whilst maximising the positive effects of tourism on the local economy.
The Lake District Foundation is a charity set up to protect the landscape and environment of Cumbria and the Lake District. The money donated supported a variety of conservation and restoration projects. The beauty of the local landscape and wonderful wildlife are enjoyed by millions of visitors each year, but the effect of footfall has an impact on the environment.
The hotel group’s Sam’s Club charity supports local charities and good causes, including our own activity club for children aged 5-10. Sam is a big cuddly dog who has entertained children of all ages at English Lakes Hotels for many years now and was based on the Berry family's own bearded collie.
In 2024, a Sam’s Club donation of £5,000 to Chapel Street Infants and Nursery School in Dalton-in-Furness nursery school helped create a stimulating new sensory room to assist and nurture infant and nursery school pupils’ learning and development.
Another £3,500 donation from Sam’s Club helped Beetham C of E Primary School complete the installation of a composting toilet and outbuilding alongside its sports field.
The project also involved environmental and educational themes with the school working with English Lakes Hotels to certify the composting toilet under the Toilet Twinning partnership between development charities Cord and Tearfund.
Sam’s Club was also instrumental in the creation of the new Windermere pump track, with £20,000 donated for the redevelopment of the local children's playpark. Here he is enjoying the new BMX track - you just can't keep a good pup down!
Each of our restaurants have special Sam's Club menus with dishes which, if chosen, trigger a donation to the Noah Initiative in Kenya. These donations are specifically to help provide school lunches for African children and support their education and wellbeing.
Through The Noah Initiative, English Lakes sponsors students in Kenya who receive education and life-skills to become empowered to drive positive change in their communities. Disadvantaged youth are accepted into the educational and mentorship programmes to help them create better and brighter futures.
Our ongoing support for cancer charities includes Paddlers for Life, which uses two dragon boats at Low Wood Bay Watersports Centre for a host of fundraising and support activities to raise awareness and help fight breast cancer.
Research has shown that physical activity involving teamwork and paddling can give cancer survivors both physical and emotional benefits, as well as helping to build friendship and support networks.
Anyone who would like to get involved in Paddlers for Life, or who would like to offer sponsorship or donations, can contact Paddlers For Life directly.
Wherever possible, we choose local businesses as our suppliers for our hotels, seeking to nurture and develop strong working relationships with companies to promote a stronger local economy within the Lake District National Park.
We also make recommendations to guests on where to visit and what to do during their stay. We have created itineraries and blogs which promote local shops, smaller surrounding villages and independent attractions to support the wider Lakeland community.
We’re always adding great deals, events and experiences that you won’t want to miss out on.
