Sustainability

Environment

The Big House Co is committed to reducing its environmental impact and promoting good practices through:

  • Complying with relevant legislation
  • Informing/educating guests and staff about our recycling policy
  • Educating and training ourselves on best practices – Green Edge course attended
  • Being aware of areas for improvement and improving

Actions taken so far:

  • Recycling procedures are in place for guests and briefing given
  • Biomass Boilers installed at Tone Dale House and Widcombe Grange
  • Low energy or LED bulbs are used wherever possible
  • Cistern hippos are in place
  • Paper recycling in office
  • White goods are AAA rated
  • Turn off TVs etc rather than standby when not in use
  • Turn off policy
  • Green telephone supplier (Chess Telecom)
  • Heating control timers
  • Sensor lighting for all outdoor areas
  • Shredded office paper used for animal bedding
  • Pump soap dispensers in all bathrooms
  • Good insulation of pipe work
  • Water based paints used for all redecoration works
  • Installation of water treatment plant at Widcombe Grange
  • Encouraging car sharing for staff with mileage payments
  • Promoting rail travel to guests where possible
  • Arranging mini bus transport for large groups to save on numerous taxis
  • Reduction of printed material in favour of electronic formats
  • Our CRM is hosted on shared online servers
  • All replacement cisterns are dual flush

Sustainability

The Big House Co strongly believes in supporting the local community and local economy through its actions and purchases.

  • Use local suppliers wherever possible – Sheppys cider, farm shops, local cheeses etc
  • Promote local suppliers to our clients via website, welcome pack and chatting
  • Recommendations for local attractions and places to visit
  • Recommendation of local pubs, restaurants and entertainment
  • Producing our own apple juice from the orchard at Widcombe Grange for our
  • clients
  • Giving prospective clients goodie bags made from sustainable sources filled with local products – and our apple juice!
  • Support of local charities – eg. Wellington Monument Restoration Fund, we encourage guests to donate too!
  • Offering Tone Dale House for local interest group meetings, etc.
  • We have two gardening plots given over to local people who wish to garden but don’t have the space at home
  • We arrange local activity providers (eg archery, massage etc) for our guests
  • We offer our houses as polling stations
  • Responsible management of our woods to provide logs and bark chippings
  • Our lake will soon be host to specimen carp for a local syndicate
  • Provide employment for full time, part time and seasonal workers.

Our Future Plans

  • We hope to continue with our current practices and further reduce our energy consumption
  • Continue to explore other avenues for energy supplies
  • Moving towards a paperless client trail using online banking, and electronic communication wherever possible.