British Passion

[Guest Don Madge]

I'm posting this on behalf of Carol Weaver who came up with the original idea. British Passion has been widely aired on both Motorhome List and Facts. Many of the forum members also subscribe to List or Facts, for those who don't read on. (Don't get excited Clive) BRITISH PASSION www.britishpassion.com Carol Weaver / David Burley (No maybe not what you are thinking!) BUT this is a tourism idea and something I hope will help you all and enable motorhome owners find a safe spot for the night. I am starting a new enterprise, based on the French version, which can be seen at www.france-passion.com which has been going for 13 years and is growing all the time. I have registered the web address above and our aim will be to have an interactive web site which will link in with the French version, which immediately will bring in all the European members who are currently members providing a large database of members to visit you. I would like you all to be interested, be you farmers, wine growers, pick your own growers, market gardeners, farm shops whatever you do, It need cost you nothing....nothing at all to offer this Invitation. The only thing I would suggest is that signs are placed within your own grounds to show where the parking space is (and it may be that British Passion would provide these so they were easily recognised by our members), but other than that, there would be NO COST, other than your signature on an Invitation Contract which it is envisaged would be something along the lines below: THE IDEA IS: Members who have signed and registered with British Passion can enjoy a safe, quiet night (maximum stay is 24hours) close to perhaps gardens, local attractions or exhibitions, they can hopefully purchase produce direct from you the property owner but there is no obligation as such to do this at all. It has been found that in the main motorhome owners are more than happy to buy food/drink as a small thank you for your hospitality. You would be able to limit the number of places you have available from 1 to however many you felt you had space for and this would be entered together with your details, directions etc., in your entry in the Invitation Booklet that we would have printed. FOR YOU the PROPERTY OWNERS: You would sign a yearly GUEST INVITATION addressed exclusively to MOTORHOME OWNERS (not caravanners) travelling with a FULLY EQUIPPED VEHICLE (i.e. water, sanitation, refuse disposal and beds etc.,) BRITISH PASSION would collect these invitations and transmit them to its members in booklet form. By signing this document you agree to allow motorhome owners who are members of BRITISH PASSION, to stay freely and without charge on a single site on your property for maximum a day and a night, *limited to 24 hours for any one stay.* All the participating property owners are then listed in a booklet published annually called the *Invitation Booklet. FOR MOTORHOME OWNERS: Motorhome Owners are admitted as guests after having accepted the rules and having first made a written request including details of their motorhomes to British Passion. They then receive a personal *GUEST CARD, *a vehicle windscreen *IDENTIFICATION STICKER, *and the current *Invitation Booklet. The motorhome owner agrees to take advantage of these invitations during his period of validity. He is asked to arrive late morning or late afternoon, but BEFORE DUSK, and to make himself known to you and to leave you without leaving behind any litter etc. If you did have any facilities available that the motorhome owner could use, these would be shown in your entry in the booklet. (i.e. it may be that you have somewhere to dump grey water (Waste water from showers, washing up etc), a fresh water supply such as a hose pipe, a rubbish bin, or indeed maybe even a WC). The system will run for a 12 month period and a new Guest Invitation Contract would be signed for the following year and any updating to your entry would be carried out at that time. I have put some general information on the web site www.britishpassion.com and there is a place for you to register your interest in this and I would be very pleased if we could make this scheme a success. I would be extremely pleased if we could make it even better than the French Version – will you help me please? If so please register as soon as possible and I will contact you as soon as I have got the Guest Invitation Contracts ready for signature. You can email me direct at carol@britishpassion.com

[Guest bb]

Perhaps it would be an idea to give prospective site owners an idea of whether there are any planning implications in this. I can think of local businesses who could sign up, but might want further info and reassurance first. Good luck with getting this off the ground.