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2nd January 2008

Moto Links Up with The National Forest to Make Donington Park Service Area Gateway to Growing Destination

Moto, the UK's largest provider of Motorway Service Areas, has teamed up with The National Forest to make Donington Park Service Area a 'Gateway' to this forest in the making.

Donington Park Service Area lies just north of The National Forest boundary and is a perfect place from which to set off and explore the Forest. From the wildlife picnic area at the rear of the amenity building you can see the mature woodlands of the ancient Charnwood Forest, which forms the Eastern border of The National Forest.

Drivers travelling south from the service area on the M1 and A42 pass signs as they enter The National Forest and can see fields full of young woodland. As the trees grow and mature and new woodland is planted, this view will change.

So, to help raise awareness of one of Britain's boldest environmental projects and to encourage visitors to the service area to explore this forest in the making, MOTO and the National Forest Company have worked together to add a range of information facilities across the rest stop.

These include beautiful wooden seating and a shelter around the attractive pond area at the rear of the building, a leaflet display unit and signage.

Chris Rogers, Marketing Director from Moto said: "We are very pleased to be working alongside the National Forest Company to nurture the environmental space around our Donington Park service area. We hope that the new range of facilities will give our customers a unique opportunity to learn about The National Forest and experience the changing landscape as the new woodland areas mature".

This project is part of the East Midlands Tourism funded Visitor Infrastructure Project, designed to promote the wealth of things to see and do across the 200 square mile Forest, and make the connections between one part of the Forest and another. Other sites that feature new facilities as part of the project include Conkers, Twycross Zoo, Ashby Tourist Information Centre, Ferrers Centre for Arts and Crafts at Staunton Harold, Snibston, Sence Valley Forest Park, the new YHA National Forest and Rosliston Forestry Centre. Each site has gained varied information points, which range from the shelters, panels and benches, to listening posts and touchscreen kiosks. Additional sites still to be installed include Beacon Hill Country Park and Foremark, Staunton Harold and Thornton Reservoirs.

Moto already does much work in the community through its charitable arm The Moto in the Community Trust. The Trust grants funds into the communities around Moto sites supporting small charities and local community projects, particularly focusing on schools, road safety and the environment.

In 2005 it formed a partnership with the Woodland Trust by holding a 'Tree-mendous Tree Challenge' at Moto sites around the UK. The campaign raised £25,000 for the Woodland Trust in just five days, which has paid to plant and maintain 2,500 saplings in Woodland Trust conservation areas around the UK.

Sophie Churchill, Chief Executive of the National Forest Company said: "We are delighted to work with Moto in raising awareness of the Forest in the service area.

"These new information points will give visitors a sense of place to the whole destination, help to promote the wider area and link attractions within the Forest."

The work across all venues is due to be completed by March 2008. In the meantime, visitors can find more information on the huge choice of things to do and see in the Forest or places to stay for a brilliant weekend break by contacting the National Forest Company on 01283 551211.

Supported by East Midlands Tourism

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Media contacts

For further information contact Carol Rowntree Jones, Media Relations Officer, or Penny Wilkinson, Tourism & Promotions Officer, at the National Forest Company, on 01283 551211. For background information please visit www.nationalforest.org

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NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The National Forest area covers 200 square miles of the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. Its objective is to increase woodland cover within its boundaries from an initial six per cent to about a third. No multi-purpose forest on this scale has been created in the UK for one thousand years. To date the proportion of woodland cover for the Forest has already more than doubled to 17 per cent and 7 million trees have been planted.
2. Year by year, The National Forest has been steadily turning what was once one of the least wooded areas of England into a multi-purpose, sustainable forest. The National Forest provides environmental and economic benefits, including landscape enhancement, creation of new wildlife habitats and major new access and leisure opportunities. It is an excellent example of sustainable development – with environmental improvement providing a stimulus to economic regeneration.
3. To achieve its objectives, the National Forest Company works in partnership with landowners, local authorities and private business and has strong support from Government, politicians and the public. The Company, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2005, receives grant in aid from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
4. East Midlands Tourism was established in April 2004 by East Midlands Development Agency and is responsible for improving the skills, quality standards and the value and competitiveness of the tourism industry. For more information visit www.eastmidlandstourism.com
5. East Midlands Tourism works with five Destination Management Partnerships – Experience Nottinghamshire, Explore Northamptonshire, Leicester Shire Promotions, Lincolnshire Tourism and Visit Peak District & Derbyshire. These organisations are responsible for managing their sub region as a tourist destination, working with local stakeholders, and are the first point of contact for businesses and visitors. For more information visit www.discovereastmidlands.com
6. East Midlands Development Agency (emda) was set up in 1999 to bring more jobs and skills to the region and to make the East Midlands a better place to live and work. Emda's vision is that the East Midlands is one of the top 20 regions in Europe by 2010.