Our Ethos
We have just been included in Alistair Sawday's "Special Places to Stay: Green Europe" where we have been awarded all three of their available "stamps" for:
ENVIRONMENT - owners working hard to reduce the environmental footprint of their place to stay. "We expect more than energy saving light bulbs and recycling... you will find owners who use a good measure of green elbow grease"
COMMUNITY - owners using their business to make significant contributions to their local community. "For example by making a contribution from every guests's bill to a local fund..."
FOOD - owners with a proven passion for serving local and organic food. "We look for those who have gone out of their way to strike up relationships with local producers or to seek out organic suppliers..."
You can read our responses to their comprehensive questionnaire on: http://www.sawdays.co.uk/search/ethical_collection/index.php?placeID=PL91803 and clicking environment/community/food on the top left.
We use:
- Fairtrade/organic beverages (herbal and decaffeinated tea/coffee always available)
- Locally bottled mineral water (www.frankwater.com) The water drawn from an artesian spring in Devon. 20 pence from every bottle goes to help finance a clean water project in Kothapeta Village, Andhra Pradesh, India.
- Ecological cleaning products (in refilled containers)
- E-cloths, you should try them! (www.e-cloth.com)
- Organic bed-linen when we can (www.lumadirect.com) Fairtrade certified and produced in India partnered with Oxfam and Greenpeace
- Natural fabrics and materials (with the exception of duvets/pillows which are best quality hollow fibre, as there are those with allergies to feathers)
- Evacuated tube solar collectors for heating as much water as possible
Where possible we use:
- Homemade, organic and/or locally sourced ingredients
- Low energy light bulbs/dimmer switches
- "A" branded appliances (the most energy efficient)
- Recycled products
We do not use:
- Little individual sized pots of preserves/butter or toiletries, with the exception of guest soaps which are made by the blind (www.clarityefbp.org) - what is not used we take to the GEAR (www.gearprojects.org) a charity for the homeless in Gloucester
In addition we:
- Air-dry our linen when we can "People often think about the pollution caused by transport but forget about the carbon dioxide created by household appliances and simple chores" Dr N. Keith Tovey, EnergyScience Director, CRed (www.cred-uk.org to which we have pledged) - tumble dryers are among the worst offenders!
- Use a green energy supplier
- Have a condensing gas boiler for heating and hot water, which is 97% efficient
- Compost all organic waste
- Recycle all glass, plastic, paper and cardboard
- Encourage our guests to walk or cycle to the pubs or local attractions
Quality is uncompromised in all we have
Veronica Metcalfe, The True Heart, The Street, Frampton on Severn, Gloucestershire GL2 7ED
Tel: 01452 740504
Email: veronica@thetrueheart.co.uk
