Conkers Launches a New Barefoot Walk in the National Forest

Moira, nr.Swadlincote, South Derbyshire, UK – 23rd March 2010 – Staff at the award-winning Conkers attraction in the heart of the National Forest are gearing up for a bumper weekend of fun and activities on the 27th and 28th of March 2010. The event sees the grand opening of a brand new barefoot walk that takes visitors on a tour spanning 200-years of the rich, industrial heritage of the local area – from when spa waters were being extracted from the local coal mines in the 19th Century, to the development of the railway network and the creation of the National Forest in more recent times. Steve Hamilton, general manager of Conkers, said: ”This new barefoot walk is unique as it tells a story about the history of the site as well as offering an array of sensory surfaces to walk on that include things like coal, wood chippings, rocks, straw, railways tracks, slate, cobbles, a mud pit and bubbling waters.” “Each of the surfaces has a relationship with the past and its own story to tell. The area is steeped in history and by highlighting what has gone on here over the last couple of hundred years, we can connect people back to the lives of their ancestors and give them some fun in the process. “To launch this new attraction at Conkers and mark the start of British Summertime – an occasion we all look forward to - we’ve laid on a weekend of fun activities that will entertain the whole family. “Along with all of the great things to do at Conkers, we’ve got a visiting fun fair; Dream Ponies children’s rides; an exhibition all about mining in the area; Misty, our resident barn owl will be making an appearance and we are delighted to announce that the National Brewery Centre’s new Shire horses will be visiting us, ahead of its opening on the 1st May. “All-in-all, the weekend looks set to be great fun and we can’t wait to let people try out the new facilities.” The National Forest Art Gallery at Conkers will also host a photographic exhibition that will feature the work of the East Midlands Monochrome Group, a photographic club that specialises exclusively in black and white imagery, to breathtaking effect. The local community emergency services will be staging demonstrations throughout the weekend and this will include the Fire Service and Police. For further information please visit www.visitconkers.com ENDS Notes for News Desk: Conkers Conkers is a £16m indoor and outdoor family attraction all about life in British woodland. It also tells the story of The National Forest, which is being created in an area of over 200 square miles covering parts of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. The idea of Conkers was first conceived back in 1997 by the Heart of The National Forest Foundation – a partnership of business and the local community. It is a unique mix of hundreds of indoor interactive exhibits and outdoor attractions that include woodland, sculpture, nature trails, lakes, an assault course, an amphitheatre, adventure playground and a train ride. Conkers is operated by Planning Solutions Ltd on behalf of the Heart of The National Forest Foundation. www.visitconkers.com Planning Solutions Ltd Planning Solutions Ltd is privately-owned British company that operates the Conkers visitor attraction in the National Forest, plus a number of other UK attractions, including the nearby National Brewery Centre, Burton upon Trent. Based in Hampshire, the company employs around 100 people and in the year ending 2009 had a turnover of approximately £4m. Founded by Mike Stickland, the Company’s chairman, Planning Solutions can trace its history back to the Rank Group, where it was the former Rank Holidays and Hotels Developments division and was responsible for developing the Oasis Forest Holidays product which was acquired by Center Parcs. Its sister company, Planning Solutions Consulting Ltd, specialises in consultancy for the development and planning of all types of leisure, tourism and regeneration projects and works for clients throughout the world. More details can be found on the company’s website: www.pslplan.co.uk Further Press Information For further Press information, please contact: Tim Ward - Parker Ward Limited Telephone +44 (0)1743 851 015 Mobile +44 (0)7966 022 532 Email tim@parker-ward.com

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