The National Marine Aquarium has received a grant from the Big Lottery Fund to help young carers

The National Marine Aquarium (NMA) is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a grant of almost £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund, which will give young carers in Plymouth the opportunity to take part in Ocean Squad activities in the coming year.

The NMA has received the grant from The Big Lottery, Awards for All Scheme as a mark of quality of the work it is doing in the local community. The grant will pay for groups of young carers aged between 9-14 to take part in a series of six exciting Ocean Squad adventures. 

Ocean Squad members get to have a go at snorkelling, take a boat trip around Plymouth Sound and try cooking sustainable seafood and explore the local beaches. They will also explore the restricted areas at the NMA and go to the places only Aquarium scientists are able to go!  All costs including activities, materials, equipment and lunches will be covered by the grant.

Joe Farrow, Ocean Squad Coordinator at the National Marine Aquarium said: “We are really excited about this funding from the Big Lottery Fund which allows us to offer complimentary Ocean Squad places to local young carers.  We really want to help bring the Young Carer Community together and offer the kids the chance to try new things, make new friends and have a break from the day to day pressures of life.”

For more information about the Young Carers Ocean Squad contact Liz or Joe on 01752 275233 or email learning@national- aquarium.co.uk

Based in the UK, the NMA is a conservation education charity providing informal learning experiences to more than 300,000 people who visit its 4,000 marine animals every year. As an educational charity, the team deliver formal curriculum-led learning to 30,000 children on site, and a further 10,000 through regional outreach. In its 20th year, the National Marine Aquarium has launched a national outreach programme with the first hubs in Cardiff and Newcastle. The charity has set itself a target of reaching one million school children and young families in the next ten years.

As an educational and marine conservation charity, the NMA relies on visitor funds and donations to continue its mission to connect us with our oceans. For more information, to book tickets and learn more about how you can support the NMA  visit: www.national-aquarium.com.