Community & Social Responsibility
We care deeply about the places in which our homes are located and the communities around them. We believe that when managed responsibly holiday homes can play a constructive role in supporting local communities and economies. We are committed to operating our homes in that spirit.
Our properties are cherished family homes and they are managed thoughtfully and responsibly with due regard to local amenity, local communities, neighbours and residential character. We are very keen to ensure that our homes are used in a way that is respectful of their settings and of the people who live nearby.
We have been careful to buy homes that would not otherwise be suitable for local housing need so that we do not reduce local housing stock: Edgar House was previously a boutique hotel that required complete refurbishment to turn it back in to a large family home; Eskdale Retreat (the old Eskdale vicarage) was derelict when we bought it and had been marketed for sale on two separate occasions with no sale to a local buyer. It required a huge amount of work. We invested a seven figure sum in its restoration; Craig y Don had been empty for nearly 20 years when we bought it and was in a terrible state of repair. It required complete restoration and renovation and a seven figure investment. For each home, where possible we have used and continue to use local tradespeople and services.
We make our homes available for carefully managed holiday stays, subject to our strict Use & Conduct Policy. Our aim in doing so is to ensure that our homes are not left empty but instead make a positive year-round contribution to local economies and communities.
We proactively encourage our guests to support local businesses. To assist with this, we provide guests with information and recommendations about services in the local area.
We donate a proportion of the income generated from holiday stays to local charitable and community organisations connected with those areas in which our homes are located. The organisations that we support are reviewed annually. We are currently supporting the following organisations:
Chester Aid To Homeless. Chester Aid to the Homeless (CATH) offers support, encouragement and a safety net for homeless people in crisis living in and around the city of Chester.
ShareAid Chester. Share Aid supports families in crisis and people who are homeless in Chester, North Wales and Cheshire and assists refugees fleeing for their lives, wherever they are in the world.
Eskdale Mill. Dating back to at least 1578, Eskdale Mill embodies the Lake District’s rich heritage. Located alongside Whillan Beck in Boot, the mill demonstrates 500 years of water power and the traditional craft of corn milling. Complete with original working milling machinery, it is one of the few places in the UK where you can find double overshot waterwheels, a traditional oats drying rack and ingenious mechanisms made from local wood, metal and stone.
St. Catherine’s Church & Eskdale Parish. Our home at Eskdale is the old vicarage of St Catherine’s Church, the Parish church of Eskdale. The church is a short walk for our house and lies beside the river Esk on a spot where there has been a church since the 6th Century AD. Services are usually held on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month at 11am. Visitors are always very welcome to come and enjoy the peace and serenity of this beautiful location as well as attending services. For services and events see here.
Eskdale Village Hall. Eskdale Village Hall (also known as St Bega’s Village Hall) is an important local community hub. It hosts local community gatherings, parish council meetings, an annual art fair and seasonal fayres in Eskdale Green.
St. Tegfan’s Church. St Tegfan’s is the local church for Craig y Don. It has a history of support from previous owners of the house and we felt we should continue that tradition of support. The church and Llandgefan Parish Hall are important community hubs in the local area around Craig y Don.
Llandegfan Parish Hall. The Parish Hall is an important local community hub. Originally intended as a reading room and a lending library, it could also be used for choir practices, drama and cookery classes. Today the Parish Hall is used in much the same way as it was in the early years. In addition to concerts and plays, the annual Llandegfan Crown Eisteddfod is held here. Groups such as the Coffee Morning, Friday Crafts Club, Tai Chi & Yoga Classes, Merched y Wawr & the use of the Snooker Room regularly meet within its walls.
Storyhouse Chester. Storyhouse is a vibrant cultural centre and charity that houses a public library, a main theatre, a studio theatre, an independent cinema, and a restaurant. Located on Hunter Street in Chester, it is built inside a beautifully restored 1930s Art Deco Odeon cinema building.
Claire House. Claire House is a children’s hospice charity that helps seriously and terminally ill babies, children, and young adults (ages 0–23) and supports their families. It serves families across Cheshire, Merseyside, and North Wales.
If you run a third sector organisation that is local to one of our three homes and would like to apply for support, please email us at hello@daisyjoy.co.uk.
