Porchfield caravan site wins national award in its first year

A Porchfield Caravan Club and campsite has won a prestigious national award in its first year of business.

Owners Ed and Carole Jewett have never ran any kind of hospitality business before and were very pleased to receive the Location of the Year Best Newcomer Award from the Caravan Club for their Rodgebrook Farm site.

The couple were just looking for something to do with a spare field when they started the business, but ended up being treated to an awards ceremony at the Houses of Parliament on November 20.

They were given a tour of the government buildings and the Rt Honourable Jeremy Wright, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport presented them with their award in a room below the House of Commons.

Ed and Carole Jewett at their Caravan Club site in Porchfield

Mr Jewett said their first year in business had been “extraordinary” and that all their guests, who nominated the site for the award, had been “quite fantastic”.

The 74-year-old described himself as a “Jack of all trades” and began his working career as an oceanographic engineer, providing information for the oil industry and dragging icebergs off the coast of Labrador in northern Canada.

He then spent ten years in transport, and worked as the operations manager for Yarmouth Harbour.

Now he’s happy growing fresh vegetable and spoiling guests with them.

Let’s hope they go from strength to strength.