2021- A Year to Remember

What a year we have had! From restrictions to a summer of fun, from our Bonfire & Firework Extravaganza to a December full of new magical adventures, it has been our best year yet! A year which would have been nothing without our amazing customers, showing us support through some difficult times and celebrating our highs alongside us.

January saw the start of another set of restrictions, once again plunging hospitality into the deep end. We were so lucky to have our Farm Shop, which had opened just months before, serving our customers with their essential items. Full of optimism, and looking forward to a summer of freedom, we worked on improving and tidying our site. As the restrictions eased, we were able to offer a perfect oasis to our customers for their daily walks and were so happy to welcome them back.

The year really began in March, the 29th to be exact, when we were able to welcome out guests back onsite in full force, with the Wizard of OZ panto by Immersion Theatre being the first big event of the year. This was enjoyed by young and old in the open air.

April saw the introduction of our brand new Aquapark! The aquapark has been a breath of fresh air to Alderford, sparking a new sense of fun and excitement on the lake. Families travelled far and wide to come and give it a go, and it filled our summer with immense pride seeing families making amazing memories together. Of course, the aquapark saw the introduction of a 20 person lifeguard team who have been an exciting addition to Team A, and have been a major drive to the success of the aquapark. So much so, our Aquapark was awarded a gold accreditation from the RLSS. This is set to get bigger and better in 2022 with big plans for expansion, promising even more fun!

Throughout summer our aquapark was accompanied by a variety of other water and land-based activities including paddleboarding, kayaking, archery and much more, hosted by Get Outside The Classroom. We also hosted a lifesavers club which was very popular and continued to host the Park Run on a Saturday morning for runners of all abilities.

A new addition to the activity list was our aqua bikes. Our aqua bikes have been a popular way to enjoy the water without getting wet, most of the time! Our very own Lily saw it as the perfect way to switch up her normal fitness sessions with the launching of our aqua bike fitness classes, which were not only a good workout but so much fun on a summer’s day.

Alongside our activities and events, Lakeside Kitchen has been serving excellent food, cold and hot drinks both for sit in and takeaway. With the introduction of our new Food and Beverage Manager, James Ablard, offering a fresh perspective and sharing his passion for flavour with us all the Lakeside Kitchen has gone from strength to strength this year with a brand new menu and a delicate selection of daily specials. One of our most popular offerings is our afternoon tea and as of late our Festive afternoon tea – which offers a delicious selection of cakes and sandwiches within the most gorgeous setting. We are always blown away by the positive reviews our café receives from good, tasty food to incredible, friendly service. The Lakeside Kitchen really is excellent.

Not forgetting our Farm Shop, which sells a wide range of local products, including meat, fruit and vegetables, cheese and wines. This year also saw the introduction of gifts in our Farm Shop, making it the perfect destination for a Christmas gift or a treat for yourself! The perfect way to end a trip at Alderford!

November brought with it the return of our Bonfire and Firework Extravaganza, our favourite event of the year! This year’s event was so well received and was so wonderful to once again welcome you all onto site, supported by the wonderful crew at Solihull Fireworks who delivered a spell bounding show!

Our year ended on such a high with the delivery of our new Santa Experience – a magical boat journey across the lake to Alderford’s Islands, where Santa and his elves were waiting to welcome many families, helping them to create memories to last a lifetime.

With it being our first year of delivering this experience, we had no idea how popular it would be. However, the feedback and reviews we have received have far surpassed anything we could have ever expected and anything we have ever done before. It has been a pleasure to deliver an experience which has bought so much happiness to so many families.

All in all, this year has been fantastic, and we can only hope next year is too. Thank you to every single customer who has supported us this year the walkers, the swimmers, the activity seekers, and the eaters! We hope you have the merriest of Christmas’ and a very happy new year!