CareMoor champions and Exmoor National Park Partner businesses met at the Lynmouth Pavilion National Park Centre recently to celebrate the partnerships that have been developed between visitors, businesses and the National Park Authority in keeping Exmoor special. CareMoor for Exmoor™ has raised more than £60,000 over the last 10 years through contributions from visitors and businesses to support important conservation and access work.
CareMoor encourages anyone who enjoys Exmoor to make small contributions towards the upkeep of the area through the businesses that they use. Over 50 businesses and organisations across the National Park currently take part, with some raising hundreds of pounds a year for CareMoor. Projects supported have ranged from habitat management to the Porlock Marsh boardwalk installed last year.
The National Park Partner scheme was launched in 2015 to recognise and reward those businesses and organisations that place the National Park at the heart of their operations. Since then almost 20 businesses have joined in to demonstrate their commitment to working together for Exmoor.
“Partnership working is essential to keeping Exmoor Special given it is a living and working landscape” commented the National Park’s Sustainable Economy Manager, Dan James. “We are indebted to all those that help contribute to this special area. Recently the Authority held a ‘Get Involved’ event celebrating all that are individual volunteers achieve. This particular event was opportunity to thank those businesses and organisations that are helping us through our CareMoor fundraising scheme and Park Partner scheme. National Park Partners and CareMoor supporters are great examples of businesses that recognise the value of the National Park and its high quality environment as a key driver for the economy, and therefore invest time and resources into helping look after it.”
Peter Larcombe who runs West Hollowcombe Farm cottages, a self-catering business located in Hawkridge, has been a CareMoor supporter since 2007 and raises several hundred pounds a year. He said “It is a great scheme: my guests are drawn to the area due to the special nature of Exmoor and in return are happy to make contributions towards its upkeep. Most individual donations are relatively small but collectively they add up to something very significant. My hope is that more businesses will join this scheme so that projects which would not otherwise be undertaken are properly financed.”
Philip Kiberd, funding officer said: “We reviewed the CareMoor scheme last year and as a result have recently introduced new branding , promotional materials and a suite of resources to help ensure the scheme can maximise its potential. If each visitor to the area donated just £1 we’d be raising over £2m a year towards important conservation and access work. We are currently targeting donations at Rights of Way improvements, small grants for traditional hedgerows and restoration of the historic landscape at Ashcombe gardens in Simonsbath.”
If you and your business is interested in becoming a CareMoor supporter or National Park Partner, please contact Philip on 01398 322237 or via email.
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