September/Halloween | 2019
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Welcome to the Halloween edition of the Cover4Caravans newsletter Here is a photo of my lovely family - sons George and Toby and wife Jayne. This was taken when we visited Centerparcs in Woburn this Summer.
Welcome to our special Halloween-themed edition of the Cover4Caravans quarterly newsletter. But don’t worry, it’s not all ghosts and ghouls, we’ve got useful information for you and some great trip ideas, including a Welsh Foodie Tour.
Get Away to … Wales on a foodie experience
Don’t forget our YouTube channel
From baking traditional Welsh Bara Brith to sampling delicious local produce in the shadow of a UNESCO World Heritage castle, Wales is chock-full of fantastic foodie experiences. Read on for some mouth-watering trip ideas. Words and images courtesy of VisitBritain.com.
Finally, if you are planning your next caravan jaunt, then for inspiration and for over 45 caravan site reviews, pop over to our YouTube channel.
So, what’s in store this time?
Al’s ideas: 5 of Britain’s most haunted houses
Your Awning and Insurance With so many potential uses and versatility, your awning quickly becomes an indispensable piece of kit. As with anything you do not want to go without for long, awning insurance, therefore, may be important to you. Here we look at what you need to consider when insuring your awning.
And while you are there, you can watch the latest caravan news updates from our very own Mike Stammers, plus access useful caravanning videos too. We hope you enjoy this newsletter.
Richard
Richard Burgess, MCIM, ACIEH, Cert CII Director, Cover4Caravans Follow me on Twitter @cover4caravans
With Halloween coming, Al and the team are sharing VisitBritain’s list of 5 of the UK’s most haunted houses. With lots of history to enjoy and spooky goings on to make your hair stand on end, we dare you to have a spine-chilling trip to one of these beautiful – yet very haunted – houses.
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GET AWAY TO WALES ON A FOODIE EXPERIENCE From baking traditional Welsh Bara Brith to sampling delicious local produce in the shadow of a UNESCO World Heritage castle, Wales is chock-full of fantastic foodie experiences. The Narberth Food Festival is just one of many food festivals and distilleries helping to promote the best of Welsh culture and cuisine, many of which take place in spectacular surroundings across the country. Words and images courtesy of VisitBritain.com.
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Narberth Food Festival
Get a taste of the finest food from Pembrokeshire and Welsh producers at the Narberth Food Festival, one of the longest-established festivals in the country. Celebrating its 21st year in 2019 in the picturesque surroundings of Narberth Town Moor, the festival includes an abundance of entertainment, welcomes guest chefs aplenty and has activities all the family can enjoy. With the chance to visit more than 50 stalls, visitors can also take part in an exciting set of workshops and masterclasses where the finest local produce is top of the menu. When? 28-29 September
Neath Food and Drink Festival
Tuck into high quality Welsh produce at the Neath Food and Drink Festival, spread across three days in early October. Hosted in the historic town’s Victorian Market and in the surrounding streets, it’s an opportunity for shops and cafes in the region to showcase their products and for visitors to try a range of mouthwatering dishes. Around 60 exhibitors, including some from the town’s renowned Indoor Victorian Market, attend each year, and there’s also an array of fun street entertainment for visitors to enjoy. When? 4-6 October
Gwledd Conwy Feast
An annual celebration of food, music and art, Gwledd Conwy Feast takes place in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Conwy every October. With the stunning stonework of the formidable Conwy Castle providing the backdrop, an array of street food and arts and crafts stalls fill the streets, offering delicious local produce and an abundance of unique jewellery, paintings, textiles and other crafts. A number of food halls and market stalls
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pack into the Quayside, where visitors can sample new dishes, watch chefs in action and try a collection of fine wines. Lancaster Square and the High Street of the medieval walled town are home to further stalls and entertainment options. When? 25-27 October
Llandudno Christmas Fayre
The stunning Victorian seaside resort of Llandudno hosts the World Bara Brith Championships as part of its traditional Christmas Fayre. Bakers from around the globe are invited to submit their own take on the famous Welsh bake, meaning ‘speckled bread’, at the competition, hosted in the town’s Holy Trinity Church. A new Junior class takes its place at the 2019 fayre, as people young and old are invited to show off their culinary skills. With more than 150 food, drink and craft stalls, as well as plenty of festive entertainment on offer, the fayre provides a platform for Welsh suppliers to showcase their extraordinary array of seasonal and local produce. When? 14-17 November
Portmeirion Christmas Food and Craft Fair
Set in the grounds of the beautiful Italianate village, the Portmeirion Christmas Food and Craft Fair promises a delightful mix of local flavours and festive cheer. More than 120 artisan stalls sell an abundance of local produce and fine crafts, alongside a mix of entertainment including live bands, cooking demonstrations and a Santa’s Grotto. When? 6-8 December
Aber Falls Distillery
Located near to picturesque Rhaeadr Fawr, the famous Aber Falls waterfall, the Aber Falls Distillery was the first to open in North Wales for a century. Its whisky is
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not yet available – the first batch is due in 2020 – but visitors can tour the distillery and discover more about the processes involved, while sampling some of the site’s award-winning portfolio. The distillery also produces small batches of handcrafted gins and liqueurs, developed using specially selected Welsh ingredients from the surrounding area. Distillery tours run between 12pm and 5pm and booking is recommended.
including the castle and the home of Welsh rugby, the Principality Stadium, while offering a chance to taste laverbread, cockles, cheeses and to sample Welsh beverages. Private tasting tours are also available, giving access to a range of farms, producers, vineyards, distilleries, pubs and restaurants in the Vale of Glamorgan.
When? All-year round
Halen Mon Saltcote and Visitor Centre
Penderyn Distillery
Found in the foothills of the spectacular Brecon Beacons, the Penderyn Distillery produces award-winning single malt whiskies and spirits. Visitors can tour the site to discover what makes the produce unique, including the innovative single copper-pot Penderyn stills, before finishing with a sampling session at the Tasting Bar. Occasional Whisky and Chocolate Tours also run, with the distillery’s single malt whiskies being paired with handmade chocolates from Chocolate House of Pontypridd. The distillery is open seven days a week from 9.30am-5pm and booking for the tours is a must. The main tour is priced at £9 for adults, with whisky and chocolate tours must be requested and cost £17. When? All year round
Loving Welsh Food tours
For a true taste of Wales, discover the capital city and try its culinary delights as part of a tour from Loving Welsh Food. Visitors can sample traditional and modern Welsh dishes in locations across Cardiff as part of a food tour, while meeting local suppliers and discovering more about Welsh culture. Cardiff Tasting Tours run on Fridays and Saturdays and take in some of the city’s key sights,
Images courtesy of VisitBritain.com
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When? Friday and Saturday, 10.30am2.30pm
On the banks of the Menai Strait in an Area of Outstanding National Beauty is the award-winning Halen Mon Saltcote and Visitor Centre. Embark on a oneof-a-kind tour to discover salt’s place in Wales’ history, culture and food, including a tutored salt tasting to find out what sets Halen Mon Sea Salt apart from the rest. Visitors can find out more about the familyrun company and get unique insights into the world of salt from members of staff. When? Open daily (apart from over Christmas/New Year) with tours at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
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Did you know… You can save up to 15% on the cost of your caravan insurance by storing it at a CaSSOA-accredited site?
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If you own a caravan, one of the things that you may be concerned about is making sure you store it somewhere safe and secure when it is not in use. If so, you may want to consider a CaSSOA-accredited site. CaSSOA stands for the Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association and these sites are recognised for being among the most secure places to store your caravan because they promote the highest security standards. Not only that, but if you store your ‘van at one of these sites, we will reward you with up to 15% off the cost of your cover! Here is a guide to things you should know about storing your caravan at one of these sites. What CaSSOA sites include There are currently over 500 CaSSOAaccredited sites to choose from, all of which have been independently assessed. When you choose one of these sites, you are doing so because they have superior security and access compared to other sites, often including alarms, secure fences and CCTV.
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These sites are found all over the country, and you should not have to travel too far to find one. You can find a site at the website here: http:// www.cassoa.co.uk/find-a-cassoa-site/ and by using the search function. Get peace of mind The main reason for using a CaSSOA site is typically that they are the most secure places to store caravans. This can give you peace of mind in knowing that your caravan is as safe as it can be. However, as a result of the superior security, they may be slightly more expensive than other sites, so this is something to plan for. The insurance advantage When it comes to your caravan insurance, if you choose a CaSSOAapproved site to store your caravan, we will give you up from 5% to 15% off your caravan insurance premiums. The discount depends depending on the site and what level of accreditation it has - ie bronze, silver or gold. The reason we offer this discount is that these sites are very secure, and your caravan is at less risk of being stolen.
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Double-check that your site is CaSSOA accredited There is one thing that you may want to be careful of when you choose your site. There have been cases where sites that used to be accredited are claiming to still have CaSSOA accreditation, even though they no longer have it. So do make sure you check the status of a site by visiting the CaSSOA website and not just taking the site owner’s word for it. Choosing the most suitable site When choosing the site, it's a good idea to use a site near to your home if possible. But wherever you choose, make sure you visit it before deciding to store your caravan there. Look around, ask questions, check the fence and gate, see if it has good fire protection, lighting and CCTV and so on. Finally, find out what the opening hours are – you don’t want to get back from a long trip at 8pm only to find the site is shut, or closed on a Sunday for example.
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At Cover4Caravans, our aim is not only to find you the most suitable and cost-effective cover for your ‘van, but to provide a first class service. Following is some genuine feedback via Feefo from some of our customers. As always, we are thrilled to receive such continued positive feedback!
What our customers are saying!
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Relle the Rabbit in the picture above
“'Great service, great price. Great, friendly service and the best price for our caravan insurance. We have been customers for a number of years and would recommend to anyone looking for caravan insurance.”
“Easy to set up quick helpful service this is my first time having a caravan. Would recommend this company to anyone.”
“'I would use again. They gave a good price. Explained the policy well and very helpful.” “Spot on. I dealt with three members of staff, all first class, I will use you again. l “Impressive call back following online love good service”. quote. Easily the best quote. Documents arrived 8am the following morning.”
Answer on back page
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“Very helpful young lady on the phone. Great level of cover at a very reasonable price.”
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Well done to Sarah! You may remember we featured Sarah Clarke, a Senior Account Handler at Cover4Caravans, in our newsletter in 2017 where she spoke about her work with the Scouts.
Well, on 15th July 2019, the 5th Southchurch Scout Group awarded its annual 'Kim Holden Award for services to Scouting' to Sarah! Sarah (who has been with us since 2006) has been with the 5th Southchurch Scout Group since 2012. She is currently the Cub Leader (Akela) and also Assistant Scout Leader. Since she took control of the Cub pack, it has flourished with hundreds of children passing through on their scouting careers. Not only has she given service to the group, but she is also on the Southend Estuary Executive Committee (a group of 18 Scout groups) which oversees the development of more than a thousand young people aged from 8 to 18. On top of this, Sarah also finds the time to be on the district finance committee, which looks after the finances of the district as well at the District Headquarters on Eastern Avenue, Southend-on-Sea.
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Undertaking the above roles may be a lot for some people but not Sarah! She stepped in to run the district charity shop (one of only two in the country) which involved her giving up her Saturdays most weeks to make sure the shop opened, as well as doing all the account and banking for the shop. Sarah has one final role in her scouting endeavours - she is the district badge secretary which involves her ordering and supplying and issuing around 1000 badges per year that the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts have earned. As a result of all of the above, she was chosen to receive the award. We are very proud of Sarah and that her selflessness has been recognised. Congratulations to her!
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Al’s ideas: 5 of Britain’s most haunted houses With Halloween coming, Al and the team are sharing VisitBritain’s list of 5 of the UK’s most haunted houses. With lots of history to enjoy and spooky goings on to make your hair stand on end, we dare you to have a spine-chilling trip to one of these beautiful – yet allegedly very haunted - houses! Words and images courtesy of VisitBritain.com
Chillingham Castle,
Chillingham, Northumberland, north-east England Chilling by name and chilling by nature, this 13th-century castle in Northumberland was the scene of bloody battles and eerie intrigue for centuries. Its rooms and gardens are lovely places to explore but to properly experience one of the most haunted castles in Britain, head into its Torture Chamber and join an evening Ghost Tour for a more unnerving encounter.
The Ancient Ram Inn,
Newton House, Dinefwr,
St Briavel’s Castle,
Glamis Castle,
For nearly 900 years the Ancient Ram Inn has stood in the Gloucestershire village of Wotton-under-Edge and brings with it stories of a gruesome and bloodthirsty history. Not only that, there have been numerous reports of supernatural events taking place here, making it a frontrunner for spookiest house in Britain. If that doesn’t petrify you, stay overnight here – although whether you’ll get a good night’s sleep is another matter…
The gorgeous Dinefwr Estate is a beautiful 18th-century park landscaped by Capability Brown, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t tales of ghosts and ghouls roaming the grounds. Newton House, in the centre of the park, has a ghostly visitor each night in the form of Lady Elinor Cavendish. The tale goes that she was betrothed to a man she didn’t love and, when she ran away from him and escaped back to Dinefwr to her family, her suitor strangled her. Visitors should listen out for muffled voices and watch out paranormal activity from the servants’ basement…
Looked after by English Heritage, this castle is now a youth hostel and if you enjoy the thought of hearing all the creepy tales about this 800-year-old castle, this is the place for you. Maybe you’ll sense the spine-chilling atmosphere as you explore the castle and feel the hairs stand up on the back of your neck as you read pleading notes carved into the walls by prisoners held here centuries ago.
Known as one of the most haunted castles in Scotland, Glamis Castle – 20 minutes’ drive from Dundee and, incidentally, the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother – is said to be home to many spirits…which makes sense when you learn it’s been standing since 1372 and was said to have inspired Shakespeare’s Macbeth. There’s many a spooky tale of historic dark deeds to be heard, especially around Halloween on one of its ghostly tours.
Pembrokeshire, west Wales
Gloucestershire, west England
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Gloucestershire, west England
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Your awning and insurance Even the most ardent caravanner may at times find it themselves a little short of space in their static home or tourer. Admitting that space may be an issue though is not the same as saying that nothing can be done about it or that you should just accept cramped living conditions as part and parcel of your caravanning holiday. One obvious solution therefore is to invest in an awning for your caravan. Their versatility is shown by the many different uses they serve: n f or the additional space which it is always helpful to spill over into, even if you have quite a large caravan; n a s a place to store additional pieces of kit and equipment which might otherwise clutter the interior of the caravan; n a s a “wet room”, where you are able to shrug off wet clothing and muddy boots when the weather is inclement;
n a s a shady retreat when the sun is high – but still open to gentle breezes if the awning’s walls are rolled up; and
As with anything you do not want to go without for long, awning insurance, therefore, may be important to you.
n storm damage to the awning only being covered if you are present at the time that it happens.
n c hoosing an awning with a little individual taste and style and it may even be a way of putting a distinctive personal touch to your touring or static caravan.
The problem is that not all caravan insurance providers may offer cover for awnings at all and you’ll typically find that those that do might attach specific terms and conditions to their cover.
It may simply be just plain common sense to get into the habit of not keeping any valuables under the awning and of stowing it away when you are not actually present at the caravan itself.
These days, awnings come in all shapes and sizes and typically consist of a steel or aluminium framework over which a waterproof cover is stretched. They can no longer be looked on as being just a glorified tent.
It may be sensible therefore, when looking at caravan insurance, to compare what provision is or is not made. At Cover4Caravans for example, our policies typically have a separate listing on your policy schedule relating to your awning.
If you need further help or advice on cover for awnings or what your obligations are, please feel free to contact us.
They come with windows and zippable doors and can easily be fitted on to your caravan structure. You may find that your awning can double the living space your caravan provides and might be a more cost effective and flexible way of increasing your living space than buying a bigger caravan would be.
This is needed because while it may, of course, be very tempting to regard the additional space that an awning provides as just another part of your caravan, it is a separate and less secure structure.
Awning insurance With so many potential uses and versatility, it may be easy to imagine how your awning quickly becomes an indispensable piece of kit.
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You might wish to keep in mind that even the most sophisticated awnings may be easy prey for thieves and that there may be very specific conditions laid out in your policy document, including: n t he contents of your awning, apart perhaps for garden type tables and chairs, not being covered at all;
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To find out more, check out our handy guide on buying, installing and using your awning.
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Calendar of events
2019 CARAVAN
BREAKS IN
BRITAIN 2019 with
LOVE
Get Away To
Meet The Team
Did You Know
Relle The Rabbit
Team News
Al's Ideas
Your Awning and Insurance
Calendar & Contact Us
What’s on?
Cover4Caravan Home
The Cover4 Team
It’s the end of the season so sadly, we’ve only found a couple of events coming up in the next few months that you may be interested in. All details are correct at time of going to press, but do check that an event is still running before you leave!
Baxter Building 80 Baxter Avenue Southend on Sea Essex SS2 6HZ
Michael Stammers Manager
Team Number: 01702 606 301
Megan Herbert Senior Account Handler
4 – 6 October 2019 - Three Counties Showground, Malvern, WR13 6NW Malvern Caravan Show
Camp or come for the day! With daytime and evening entertainment, plus a chance to visit trade stands for the latest caravans, gadgets and gizmos.
Fax: 01702 606 367 Email: cover4caravans@alanblunden.co.uk
15 – 20 October 2019 - NEC, Birmingham, B40 1NT
Website:
Motorhome & Caravan Show 2019
The only place where you can step inside, browse and compare all new-for-2020 leisure vehicles under one roof and get expert advice directly from the manufacturers behind the latest innovations.
Sarah Clarke Senior Account Handler
Lisa Byott Senior Account Handler Natalie Hill Account Handler Catherine Wright Account Handler Tyler Allen Account Handler
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Kirsty Brundle Account Handler
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16 – 19 January 2020 - Event City, Manchester, UK, M17 8PL The Caravan & Motorhome Show
Christian Oliver Account Handler
The largest Caravan and Motorhome Show of its kind, explore the biggest choice of caravans, motorhomes and holiday homes anywhere in the North of England at The Caravan & Motorhome Show.
Ann Thompson PA to Directors Richard Burgess Director
Answer from page 5 Where’s Relle the Rabbit Location of 1F
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