Hotels are honoured
Raised £42k to boost park
Three family-owned hotels around Loch Lomond have been recognised after raising a total of £42,000 for the National Park over the past six years.
The funds were netted for Friends of Loch Lomond and Trossachs charity’s OUR park visitor giving scheme.
The Oak Tree Inn at Balmaha has raised £14,000 while The Lodge on Loch Lomond Hotel, in Luss, has collected £18,300 and the Inn on Loch Lomond, at Inverbeg has weighed in with £9,700.
The sums have been generated from opt-in donations by guests staying overnight and restaurant customers at the hotels. Cash gathered goes toward supporting a range of heritage, conservation, access and public safety projects throughout the park for visitors’ and residents’ enjoyment.
Recent projects supported with grants from the scheme include improvements to paths around the loch, production of paths leaflets, rollout of public access defibrillators at popular sites, Tom Weir’s rest and viewpoint at Balmaha and children’s play areas at Balloch and Luss. Hundreds of disadvantaged youngsters have also been sponsored on activity days out and short breaks.
Friends chairman James Fraser recently presented commendation certificates for display at each hotel to Oak Tree Inn proprietor Sandy Fraser and Niall Colquhoun, owner of the Lodge and Inn on Loch Lomond. Smaller versions of the certificates will also be included in welcome packs in each room at the two hotels so that visitors are aware of how much has been raised and what projects have been supported.
James Fraser said: “The amounts these hotels have raised as part of the Friends of OUR park visitor giving scheme has been nothing short of remarkable and it simply would not be possible to support so many worthwhile projects in the National Park without the commitment of these hoteliers and their staff. We rely heavily on this sort of support from around 100 businesses in and around the Park and they all deserve our sincere thanks as do their many thousands of visitors who are helping us to make a real difference to make the Park a better place for people and nature with the delivery on many practical projects on the ground working with local communities.”
Sandy Fraser said: “We are extremely honoured to be recognised by the Friends in and only too glad to support their efforts. It would not have been possible to raise these funds without the support of our customers over the years, who have given willingly to ensure many local projects can be supported. Thanks to each and every guest and restaurant customer who donated.”
We are only too glad to support the Friends