AN INNOVATIVE idea has helped the Cotswolds Conservation Board celebrate a record year for its visitor giving scheme.

This August, Caring for the Cotswolds received £11,682.12 from Burford-based Manor Cottages, which encourages guests to add £1 to their bill when they book accomodation across the region.

The contribution brings the fund to around £13,000, with the 2018 summer season not yet finished.

Caring for the Cotswolds encourages member businesses to invite their customers to donate by adding a little extra to their bill, which is then passed on to the Cotswolds Conservation Board.

Donations are gathered together to build a fund which local groups and organisations can apply for to help run projects focusing on wildlife and habitat conservation, heritage projects, and walking, riding and bridleway improvements.

Chris Blakesley-Grimes, director at Manor Cottages, said: “Our business is all about enjoying the Cotswolds, so we are delighted that our guests recognise this and give so much to help keep the Cotswolds special.”

So far, Caring for the Cotswolds has helped fund a wide range of projects, including riverbank repairs in Bourton on the Water, conservation works on the River Coln and a new railway halt for Hailes Abbey.

Martin Lane, director of the Cotswolds Conservation Board, said: “We are hugely grateful to all our other members and their customers for their contributions, however big or small.

"Caring for the Cotswolds, and the projects it supports, are an excellent demonstration of how tourism, business, and conservation can work together to make a real difference to the local rural landscape.”