Merlin Entertainments, a global leader in branded entertainment destinations, has opened the UK’s first LEGO Woodland themed holiday village at LEGOLAND Windsor – the first operationally carbon-neutral accommodation within its global portfolio.
Opened at the end of May this year, the Woodland Village’s carries the official verification of Carbon Neutral achieved from the Carbon Trust.
The Woodland Village’s operational energy is fossil fuel free on opening, which has been achieved through developing a robust carbon reduction plan, including low carbon technologies, energy efficiency, and high-quality offsets.
The new development features 150 accommodation lodges and camping barrels nestled among trees on a 10-acre site.
“We are thrilled to be opening our first operationally carbon-neutral accommodation. This marks a significant milestone in our sustainability journey, demonstrating Merlin’s firm commitment to reducing its environmental impact. This development will provide a blueprint for other resorts, as we strive to continuously reduce our carbon footprint across our global estate and lead the way in implementing new practices and working methods,” said Dare Ilori, group director of sustainability at Merlin Entertainments.
Marked as a milestone in the history of the UK family theme part, the opening of the LEGOLAND Woodland Village is the end result of a £35 million investment the resort believes will now bring thousands more UK and international visitors to Windsor.
The official opening of the new destination was marked by a visit from Theresa May MP, the former UK Prime Minister who was joined by the newly appointed Mayor for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Cllr Simon Bond alongside other local dignitaries.
“I was delighted to drop in to LEGOLAND Windsor to get a glimpse of the UK’s first LEGO woodland themed holiday village,” said Theresa May. “Across Berkshire, we are passionate about enhancing our natural environment, so it was great to hear LEGOLAND’s woodland holiday village will be the first operationally carbon-neutral accommodation built by Merlin Entertainments across its global theme park operations.”
Chessington World of Adventures launches Wildlife Defenders audio adventure with Yoto
In related Merlin Entertainments news, the team has now partnered with the kids’ audio platform Yoto – developers of the popular Yoto Player and Yoto Mini – to launch BrainBots: Wildlife Defenders – an audio adventure that teaches kids how to protect endangered wildlife.
The collection is available to purchase via the Yoto platform as well as at the resort theme park Chessington World of Adventures. Under the partnership, 20% of profits will go to Chessington Conservation, the charity established to protect the future of nature and wildlife through conservation work and education in the local community and worldwide.
“We believe in the boundless potential of young explorers to shape a brighter, more sustainable future for our planet,” said Ben Drury, ceo of Yoto. “This new Wildlife Defender card aligns perfectly with this vision, and we are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Merlin Entertainments and adding to our already hugely popular Yoto Original’s BrainBots IP.
“By raising awareness and inspiring action, we aim to empower children to protect the natural world around them. Beyond sparking curiosity and knowledge, we’re proud to donate 20% of the profits from this card to support the crucial work Chessington Conservation does to support the safeguarding of endangered species and their habitats around the world.”
Ramesh Ganeson, divisional director for Chessington World of Adventures Resort, added: “This collaboration highlights a pivotal step in our ongoing commitment to protect nature and educate families around conserving wildlife. This ongoing partnership with Yoto is testament to Merlin Entertainment’s wider ESG strategy and its focus on doing more to protect nature and demonstrates our dedication to environmental stewardship on a global scale.”
