Ocean Explorers Start Exploring

DISCOVER OUR MARINE ENVIRONMENT THIS SUMMER

Come and visit Plastic Free North Devon’s Ocean Explorers this summer for underwater adventures, educational activities, environmental action and fun

Ocean Explorer ambassadors and volunteers are all set to bring their specially created virtual reality underwater adventures and educational activities to events across North Devon and Torridge this summer. Staff and volunteers from the charity will be on hand to answer questions from curious minds, share ways in which we can shape our daily habits to be kinder to our environment and inform and excite them about all the different ways they can get involved in helping us to traction the cultural shift that's needed to combat the environmental crisis that we face. The aim is to connect children and adults alike with the complex beauty on our doorstep and inspire them to want to protect it.

The virtual reality films being showcased were all created with the help of local filmmakers Rose Summers and Emily Bailey. The first of these allows members of the public to experience snorkelling with seals off Lundy, and two more films coming very soon will take us on a rock pooling adventure around the North Devon coast , and on a voyage along the River Torridge and out to sea. Educational activities will include, but are not limited to, rockpool ID, citizen science, storytime, face painting, beach and park cleans, and a dry aquarium. We will also be signposting to different ways that the public can get involved with protecting our environment: from careers,  to volunteering, relevant petitions and campaigns, extra learning and local organisations doing amazing things. There are so many ways for the members of our community to play their part and this movement needs everyone. We are also really looking forward to having our 16  local secondary school students that we took to Lundy last month helping us to deliver our summer program and advocating for our environment.

Ocean Explorer Ambassador Chloe Lovelass explains why the project is so important:

“There are so many threats to our marine environment, from the clearly visible plastic pollution to the growing climate emergency; and the first step to inspiring people to look after the fragile ecosystems that support us all is to show people just how amazing the nature on our doorstep is, how it supports us, and how we can all do things to look after it. We look forward to sharing our love of the ocean with you this summer and answering any questions you might have.”

Ready to dive in and start learning? Here’s a list of where and when to find the Ocean Explorers team over the coming weeks:

Wednesday 4 August - The Burrows Centre, Northam Burrows

Saturday 7 August - Rock Park, Barnstaple

Sunday 8 August - Clovelly Maritime Festival, Clovelly

Monday 9 August - Lynmouth National Park Centre, Lynmouth

Wednesday 11 August - The Milky Way, Bideford

Saturday 14 August - Beach Art Event, Ilfracombe Harbour

Sunday 15 August - Carbon Zero Boating and Marine Plastics Event, Ilfracombe Harbour.

Please see our website or facebook to stay updated on where we will be stationed >>>>

https://www.plasticfreenorthdevon.org/whats-on

https://bit.ly/2VtNsaJ

This project is made possible thanks to the following generous funders: The North Devon Coast AONB Sustainable Development Fund, Badur Foundation, Fullabrook CIC, holidaycottages.co.uk, Pickwell Foundation, Turnstyle Designs, and Garfield Weston Foundation.

 

Anne-Marie Eveleigh