Drake Circus hosts three days of free ocean activities

Drake Circus and The Barcode is set to host the Ocean Conservation Trust this week, with a whole host of fin-tastic interactive and educational free activities for visitors of all ages to enjoy.

This Wednesday and Thursday (28th and 29th August), an interactive sensory rockpool will allow visitors to learn more about Plymouth’s rockier shores, whilst customers will also be able to get up close and personal with a whole host of ocean artefacts, including dolphin skulls, whale ribs and shark eggs, using a specialist microscope to learn more about the amazing marine animals on Drake Circus’ doorstep.

For younger visitors, a shipwreck mystery game and mermaid’s purse crafting sessions will offer a hands-on opportunity to learn more about the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and its inhabitants, whilst Ocean Discovery Rangers will be on hand throughout the day to share their own knowledge of what lies beneath Plymouth’s waves.

This activity is taking place as part of Meet the Marine Park, a project in collaboration with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park to engage the people of Plymouth with our ocean. The project acts as a touring welcome centre for Plymouth Sound National Marine Park*, and allows visitors to connect to its’ natural, historical, and cultural heritage.

Sam Balderson, Head Ranger, Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, comments: “Meet the Marine Park forms part of our wider programme to engage a generation, inspiring them to form deep and lasting relationships with the marine environment and heritage right on their doorstep”.

Then, on Friday 30th August, the Ocean Conservation Trust will be showcasing their seagrass conservation project, Blue Meadows.

From finding information on local seagrasses to taking part in a nutrient ball workshop and even using VR headsets to see the seagrass meadows for themselves, the exhibition will give visitors the chance to learn about the essential work carried out by the Blue Meadows project.

Greg Lumley, Centre Director at Drake Circus and the Barcode, commented: “The Ocean Conservation Trust carries out vital work protecting our oceans, and uses their Centre of Ocean Excellence, the National Marine Aquarium to help local communities learn about this work and how they too can look after our oceans. Events like these are a great way to do so, and we can’t wait to welcome the OCT to the centre this week to share their expertise.

As the school holidays draw to a close, the exhibition is set to be the ultimate family day out, with a huge range of hands-on activities that will allow children to get up close and personal with the creatures and mysteries that lie beneath our seas.”

Megan Ross, Blue Meadows Community Engagement Officer, at the Ocean Conservation Trust, said: “Our work is centred around people and positive action, with a focus on pro-Ocean behaviour and habitat restoration. Blue Meadows is our holistic approach to seagrass conservation, focusing on protecting the seagrass we have and restoring what we have lost. Drake Circus is providing us with a fantastic opportunity to connect people with the Ocean and share more about the exciting work we have been undertaking across the South Coast to protect seagrass!”

To find out more about all the events on offer at Drake Circus, visithttps://www.drakecircus.com/whatson

For more information on the Ocean Conservation Trust, visithttps://oceanconservationtrust.org/ 

For more information about Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, visithttps://plymouthsoundnationalmarinepark.com/