Morley HayesInitiatives and Awards

 Working with our community to do the right thing

At Morley Hayes, we have never believed that doing the right thing is something you can do alone, so when it comes to sustainability, we work as a team.

Our most important wildlife partnership is with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, which has guided our habitat creation work, helped restore Hayes Wood and advised on the placement of our bat, owl and swift boxes.

It was with the Trust's support, alongside a remarkable team of local ecologists, naturalists and pond specialists, that professional ecologist Beverley Rhodes conducted the 2025 survey confirming more than 500 species on our grounds.

Beyond wildlife, we work closely with the University of Derby, running research into sustainable menu choices using behavioural nudge techniques, and offering mentoring to overseas hospitality students, several of whom have gone on to join our team.

We have hosted international turf-care training for Derbyshire manufacturer Dennis Mowers and Sisis Equipment, sharing our sustainable greenkeeping experience with the wider industry.

In our local community, our golf academy provided 4,000 lessons to children and beginners last year. We are partnering with Transition 2 college to create work placements for young adults with learning disabilities.

We have invested £40,000 in bus shelters for our staff, donated £5,744 to local charities in 2025, and run regular bat, owl and fungi walks open to everyone.

And do you know what? This work has won us some awards down the years, including the Sustainable Business of the Year in the medium business category at the Midlands Sustainability Excellence Awards, and a silver medal in the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism category at the Peak District, Derbyshire and Derby Tourism Awards 2025.

We were also a finalist in the AA Hospitality Sustainable Award and are currently applying for Green Tourism Gold certification.