Member Article

Oulton Hall supports local homeless charity

Founder of women’s travel website Maiden Voyage, Carolyn Pearson, is passionate about supporting the homeless, and brought her business and this passion together to encourage hotels to make a simple difference.

To many charities’ dismay, hotels often dispose of otherwise usable consumables and furnishings when they ready to be replaced. These hotels have their opportunity to support their local communities by donating their old supplies instead of adding to the already overflowing landfills.

Pearson said, “I thought I would test the idea of having hotels donate unwanted items to organisations by introducing Oulton Hall to Calderdale SmartMove, a local charity that provides a high quality, client-centred service assisting homeless and vulnerably housed people.”

Oulton Hall, Leeds, one of Maiden Voyage’s certified ‘female friendly’ hotels, jumped at the opportunity to get involved by donating items such as duvet’s, pillows and furniture from bedrooms that were undergoing refurbishment.

The charity was delighted, “we rely on donations such as this to enable us to provide homeless and vulnerably housed people across Calderdale with the necessary things to help them set up home and begin their journey with us,” said Craig George, Fundraising & Relationship Manager of Calderdale Smartmove.

By donating their old duvets and pillows, not only did Oulton Hall help the environment by recycling, they also helped those who are most vulnerable. Giving away bedding and other things like furniture, spare toiletries etc. is not always at the forefront of hotelier’s minds but for the likes of Oulton hotel, it was a natural way to help those in need.

“We are delighted to be able to support such a worthwhile charity and help others by offering duvets and pillows, and are happy that they will be put to good use.” said Claire Steven, General Manager of Oulton Hall.

Most bedding that is deemed useless to hotels would be of considerable benefit to many of the charities, similar to Calderdale Smartmove, that are run nationwide. “This is just one way in which hotels can make a big difference to the lives of many and we hope this will inspire more hotels to do the same,” said Pearson “and this marks the start of bigger ideas we have on bringing the homeless and hotel sectors together.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by maiden-voyage.com .