Five new and exciting projects have been chosen by the Sea-Changers grant evaluation panel to receive grants from our Marine Conservation Social Fund. The fund, which was first set up in 2021 to support socially beneficial marine conservation approaches and solutions has proven very successful. Three of the projects funded in 2021 have gone on to receive further support and have widened their impact - all of them showing marine conservation impacts, whilst also helping disadvantaged people and communities to connect with and improve the UK's marine environment.
We will be excited to see the 2024 recipients follow suit. They are:
Celtic Deep Conservation CIC in partnership with MARECO who, together, will be running Sharkademy – a Shark Specialist Residency programme. It is designed to inspire, nurture and retain dedicated and passionate individuals to take on domestic marine conservation challenges. A fully funded residency programme for eight students, it will be aimed specifically at people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Greyhope Bay in partnership with East Grampian Coastal Partnership, in their ‘Coastal Calm: beach cleans for wellbeing and discovery’ project will work with groups who face barriers to spending time in blue spaces and learning about them, including refugees and women in emergency housing.
Lancashire Wildlife Trust in partnership with The Eden Project, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, and Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust will work with the community in Morecambe to engage participants in the wonders of coastal wildlife and explore how to communicate the impact recreational disturbance is having. The project will be targeted at those in most need of it in the community reaching out to those suffering from isolation and loneliness.
Lowestoft Time Bank CIC will also deliver a series of beach education and creative writing workshops. Beach workshops will include a marine conservation talk, a beach clean and mindfulness exercises. They will be involving adults with physical & mental disabilities from the Lowestoft Community Hub & East Coast College, residents of Gunton Estate (an area of high deprivation) and referrals via social prescribing for mental health.
Newquay Wild Activities, in partnership with DISC Housing Charity are being funded to run a pilot project to subsidise disadvantaged and marginalised individuals to partake in activities they may not normally have access to. DISC, helps families living on the breadline and that are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and the lack of affordable housing. DISC will refer families to the project who would benefit from respite and a chance to get out onto the coast for activities that will benefit their health and wellbeing, appreciation of their local area as well as educational value for the children.