Newquay Business Improvement District (BID) is working with Cornish Community Interest Company, Land & Sea Cornwall to activate a number of environmental initiatives that will directly benefit the town and wider community. The Newquay-born organisation, Land & Sea Cornwall exists to help raise awareness of the connection we all have to the natural environment that surrounds us and how vital it is that we work together to protect it.
The BID has provided a sum of £1,000 to the group who will use it to implement a number of eco-focused projects. This collaboration falls under the ‘Cleaner, Greener, Safer’ theme in Newquay BID’s five-year business plan and will tangibly benefit the wider town and seek to provide stronger links with the business community, whilst also putting some of the funding back into the town in a circular economy of green goodness.
Using the BID funding, the organisation will provide 47 refill water bottles for the entire Newquay Fire Service team, making this the first force in Cornwall to do this. Some of the funding has also been allocated towards purchasing branded high visibility vests for the group’s team of dedicated volunteers, who will wear these during their regular ‘inland’ litter picks, making them instantly recognisable.
In addition, the group has also committed to organising a large-scale town litter pick at least twice this year and into next, during autumn and spring. For all volunteers participating in these cleans, the Land & Sea Cornwall team will provide refreshments sourced from local independent BID levy paying establishments. The team also intends to conduct some media work to help raise awareness of how to report issues during the summer months, such as overflowing bins and fly tipping amongst other scenarios with local based media companies.
Carla-Marie Jones, Newquay Business Improvement District (BID) Manager, said, “In lots of ways Cornwall’s business landscape is pioneering with its green activity, we have businesses here that are doing amazing things to help protect our planet. For example, in Newquay alone, we have exceptional organisations such as Newquay Marine Group providing rockpool rambles and marine surveys, Dive Newquay which carries out clean ups of the seabed and The Good Lyfe plastic free store, to name just a few. We’re keen to solidify our reputation as an eco-conscious region and do all that we can to play our part in the global agenda, particularly given the promises made at the G7 Summit, held here in Cornwall just a few weeks ago.”
Carla continued, “When we conducted our consultation process last year, leading into our third term, we found, not at all surprisingly, that making Newquay cleaner, greener and safer was a key priority for our members. This is also naturally important to residents and visitors so they experience a pleasant trading and visitor environment. We want to ensure Newquay maintains its year-round appeal which is why we are so keen to continue working with and supporting statutory, voluntary and community groups to further explore, assess and identify opportunities to fund and create increased and enhanced greening projects. With this in mind, it is fantastic to work with Land & Sea Cornwall which is such an inspirational group doing remarkable work.”
Gemma Turner, Director of Land & Sea Cornwall CIC said, “We are very pleased to be working with Newquay BID and incredibly grateful for its support. Newquay is a beautiful community to live, work and experience. A key attraction for visitors and locals alike is the stunning natural environment. Our aim is to highlight the reasons we need to help protect this incredible environment and create awareness and understanding that what we throw away on land, can ultimately end up down the drains, out to sea and having to be cleaned up on our beaches; this is one of the reasons we are passionate about inland litter picks and providing support to businesses and individuals wanting to make positive changes to reduce their waste. If anyone is interested in finding out more about what we do or joining in any of our future cleans, please contact us on landandseacornwall@gmail.com. We hope our relationship with Newquay BID will continue long into the future as we strive to make positive change together.”
For further information on Newquay BID’s future work and projects, please email info@newquaybid.co.uk or visit the website at: https://www.newquaybid.co.uk/. For further information on Land & Sea Cornwall, visit: https://www.facebook.com/landandseacornwall.
