The National Trust will be holding a special beach picnic event at Brean Down this Saturday (July 4th) to celebrate 50 years of public support for protecting the UK’s coastline.
The Big Beach Picnic at Brean Down is one of 15 Big Beach Picnics taking place across the South West on Saturday.
The Trust says it wants as many people as possible to join in the free event as possible, which starts at 12 noon.
Brean Down’s Big Beach Picnic is packed with activities – with resident artists on site to help visitors create their own souvenirs using material found on the beach, sandcastle building, 50 Things to do before you’re 11 ¾ activities, face-painting and beach games.
There will also be storytellers telling local legends and solar astronomers allowing visitors a closer look at the sun, and running children’s activities on the beach.
“One of the key moments of our Big Beach Picnic will be the opportunity to join us all to ‘toast the coast’. We will supply the cups all you need to supply is the enthusiasm for our beautiful coastline and a toasting tipple. Sneakily the toasting cups are also rather suitable for collecting spare donation coins in afterwards,” said a spokesperson.
“So not only will you have lots of fun at Brean Down Big Beach Picnic, you’ll also be helping to raise essential funds enabling National Trust rangers to carry out important conservation work and habitat management.”
Bella Crawford, SW Coastal Engagement Officer said: “When I think of taking my family to the beach, taking a picnic along is always top of our list. Our Big Beach Picnics will be a terrific way of bringing people together on the same day at one of our coastal places for some fun but also to help us celebrate 50 years of coastline care. Our National Trust rangers will be on hand to share their love of the coast, explain what’s important about the area they care for and why we need that continued support in order to do so.”
2015 is the 50th anniversary of the Neptune Coastline campaign, set up in 1965 to protect the coast from the threat of development and look after it for ever for the nation.
Over the last 50 years, public and partnership support have raised over £65 million for the campaign, enabling the National Trust to safeguard 775 miles of coastline across the England, Wales and Northern Ireland (300 miles of which are in the South West).
Brean Down’s Big Beach Picnic will be signposted from Brean Down car-park, where staff will also be there to greet visitors and direct them. The event will begin at 12pm.
