Newquay Wild Activities

What are we asking for? 

Money for a bus with multiple uses! A hybrid bus to be exact. Plus, ideally a bit of money extra to cover our insurance and MOT and tax and petrol and other bits and bobs.

Why a bus? 

One of our USPs is we want to make our activities bespoke, personal and inclusive. 

Our bus will be used by our paying customers and other local groups and individuals as well.

We will pick up our guests from the hotel/accommodation and take them back. This reduces traffic and will mean the experience starts the moment we meet them at their accommodation. It gives us an opportunity to meaningfully converse with our customers and gain feedback from them after the activity. It also reduces barriers for doing such an event such as traffic, parking issues, lack of knowledge of where to go and best times for tides.

A percentage of our income will be put back into the community allowing NWA to subsidise disadvantaged and marginalised individuals to partake in activities too. We can also loan the mini bus to these groups to ensure our activities are open to all.

What are our activities? 

Well… 

They are going to be

• Sustainable
• Eco-friendly 
• Environmentally focused. 
• Nature-based that ‘put back’. This means back into the environment and back into the community.
• Showing Newquay in a different light – showcasing its wildlife. 
• Gathering scientific data.

Our guides will be experts in their fields who know and love Newquay. They have not only the necessary skills and qualifications but are passionate and full of knowledge and they are amazing at what they do!

We want to start with two activities: a Wildlife Walk and a Rockpool Ramble (but we think there is room to expand the suite of experiences!)

• ROCKPOOL RAMBLE 

Primarily based on South Fistral, a marine and coastal expert will guide a group of around 8-10 people to discover the weird and wonderful seaweeds and animals that live on our seashore and how they have adapted to living in this challenging environment.

While being guided around the wondrous rockpools, data of which species are seen will be collected and added to the Shore Search Survey citizen science app. This data is then part of the national collection that feeds into local, regional, and national policy.

• WILDLIFE WALK

Again, led by local experts, our guided nature walks will be a way of experiencing Newquay from a local’s perspective. The route will take in headlands, woods and meadows and the coast and will show you secret spots, bringing the culture and past of Newquay to life while looking for wildlife along the way. 

All species will be recorded and added to the local record centre database. This joins the national collection that feeds into local, regional, and national policy.

More information and what is involved

• Our pickup service!
• Small groups 
• Suitable for individual, couples, families, friends – basically everyone
• Plan B if the weather isn’t playing ball
• Refreshments and a pasty 
• Full safety briefing
• Equipment and materials including ID books, binoculars, and buckets. 
• Your own private expert
• Information on the community and other groups to get involved with or join
• Information on the area, the history, the habitats, and the environment as well as the conservation work in the area.
• Knowledge your day out will have an impact for ongoing conservation effort.
• Feedback and species list of what was seen
• Litter pickers to collect any rubbish seen while exploring. 
• Refill water bottle to promote the need for using less single use plastic
• Chance to be a citizen scientist

Why Data is important 

Well first off when we talk about data, we mean species data. The animals, insects and plants that can be found here in Newquay. we look at the number of species and type of species and the abundance of that species and where that species can be found. 

This data will go to The Environmental Record Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (ERCCIS) and onto their huge database called ORKS. Some of this data will also go to smaller databases that concentrate on one type of species or type of data or location This includes Shore Search (for rockpool species) Marine Standings network (for dead animals on our beaches) and Cornwall Bird Group for bird information etc… you will learn more about all these networks when you join us on one of our adventures. 

And finally – why do we do this? Well, it helps us understand what is happening in our environment. It helps to show trends over the years and will highlight any problems or changes or issues that may need policy or protection or a change in use. 

It also means that anyone can be a part of the scientific community – citizen science is an important and ever-expanding area of conservation. Coming along to one our events are not just fun and interesting, but you will also become a scientist and have a positive impact on local conservation.

And who are we?

We (Liz and Laura) already run a community group set up to bring together people passionate about the environment and the coastline of Newquay. Our work has been vitally important for the environment, and we have partnered with many different businesses, organisations and groups to achieve goals. We love it!

Newquay Wild Activities is a business model and a social enterprise in a similar vein. We want to show Newquay in a green light.

The aim is by showcasing the amazing wildlife that share our coastline, the public will be inspired and educated to protect and conserve it. By subsidising disadvantaged local groups and individuals to join in too, we really hope we can make a difference.

Newquay Wild Activities (NWA for short) is a Social Enterprise Community Interest Company (CIC) – it gives back to the environment and the community: activities will be made available to local individuals and marginalised groups at a subsidised rate in our bid to promote natural connection and community cohesion and a love of the local environment.

We have tried it…

In May / June we worked with a few hotels to pilot our activities and our business model. It worked. The feedback was amazing and the bus – a real highlight and selling point. And the rangers/experts – well they were called ‘walking encyclopedias!’ 

The hotels have been really supportive and some of them continue to be, providing rewards to help with this stage of our business. Oh and keep an eye out throughout the campaign - more rewards will be added!

Thanks for reading - if you like the sound of it, donate, share and support and we hope to see you down on the coastline soon!