Vix Lowthian Green Party

The Island Riding Centre in Newport was recognised for its ongoing efforts to help the environment when the leader of the Isle of Wight Green Party Vix Lowthion paid a visit on Saturday 10th March.

The equestrian and holiday complex has recently installed two car chargers to encourage drivers with electric cars to visit and stay in the holiday accommodation.

The electric car chargers compliment the centre’s 78 solar panels that provide the centre with approximately 20,000 Kilowatt hours a year enough for almost 1 million hours use of a laptop computer or 60,000 hours of TV! The centre also boasts two rainwater harvesting systems saving 200,000 litres of water, providing all of the water for the toilets to flush and automated water drinkers for the horses.

A separate water treatment plant recycles all of the sites waste water back into clean water that is discharged back into the local water supply and a number of horses now use recycled paper bedding too.

With the new indoor riding arena well underway and plans for safari tents to host groups of visiting children the Island Riding Centre owner Louise Buckner said ‘there are more environmentally friendly solutions to come’.

Making her first visit to the Centre Vix Lowthion commented ‘It was a real joy to see a new Island business of such a high standard really pushing the boundaries for the environment, for inclusion and for our tourism. Paul, Louise and their team have some really exciting plans for 2018 and beyond, and are demonstrating how it is good for business to put sustainability and accessibility at the heart of everything they do. I’m looking forward to returning to the Island Riding Centre and seeing them progress to become central to the holiday experience for visitors, and to local island life’.