Media Release: Coopers Square & Conkers Celebrate National Parks Week

Wednesday 22 July, 2009; Coopers Square shopping centre and Conkers Visitors Centre have joined forces to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, which set-up the creation of National Parks back in 1949.

To mark National Parks Week, from 27 July to 2 August, Coopers Square has continued its long standing partnership with Conkers to create a special Butterfly Garden at the Visitors Centre, Waterside. It is hoped that the new area will help children from across the country learn more about the butterfly habitat while helping to conserve local populations for years to come. Conkers Head Ranger, Gerry O'Brien, said: "Our butterfly, herb and sensory gardens are an integral part of the wildlife management at Conkers. We are conscious that many of our much loved pollinators, such as butterflies and bees, are declining nationally so we wish to provide a sanctuary for them and also help educate our visitors on ways in which we can all help to prevent their decline.” The Conkers outreach team will be kicking off the 60th celebrations early with a special butterfly craft workshop at Coopers Square on Saturday 25 July. Children will get a free taster of some of the activities on offer during the Conkers Butterfly Week, which takes place at the Visitor Centre from 27-31 July, including how to make and decorate butterfly templates and create butterfly masks. The whole family will also enjoy hunting for the eight butterflies hidden within Coopers Square stores in the competition that offers one lucky winner the chance to enjoy £50 in Coopers Square shopping centre vouchers and a Conkers family ticket, for two adults and two children. There is a further 24 family tickets up for grabs, so simply pick up and complete the entry form and post it in the competition box in the Main Square before Sunday 2 August at 4pm. Coopers Square has been an avid supporter of Conkers and the National Forest for several years. The shopping centre even planted a brand new area of silver birch trees in 2007. The Coopers Square Wood was solely funded through the recycling of cards, paper, bottles and cans throughout the Introduction to Recycling campaign which started in 2006. Dave Chadfield, Coopers Square Centre Manager, commented: “We are proud of the magnificent countryside that borders the shopping centre and Coopers Square continues to strive to enhance and protect our local environment for future generations to enjoy. With the creation of the Butterfly Garden at Conkers Waterside we are helping to protect wildlife within our locality for many years to come. “We are extremely lucky to have the National Forest on our doorstep and I hope our joint working with Conkers to celebrate National Parks Week will encourage shoppers to visit the new Butterfly Garden and appreciate the glorious countryside. Our Find the Butterfly competition brings the spirit of the great outdoors into Coopers Square and I am sure the children will love the free Conkers craft activities on offer this Saturday.” Conkers Retail Manager, Cordelia Mellor-Whiting, added: "We certainly value the generous opportunities which have been made available to us by Coopers Square, particularly to mark National Parks Week. Support from local businesses is vital to the future of Conkers and it is great to be able to work with Coopers Square and its stores to make a real difference to our local environment.” For further information on Conkers go to www.visitconkers.com -Ends- Notes to Editors In 1999, the Coopers Square shopping centre was acquired by Grosvenor – the leading international property development, investment and management group – for its Grosvenor Shopping Centre Fund. The centre contains over 70 stores, more than 1000 adjacent parking spaces, and covers an area of 35,750 square metres. The Grosvenor Shopping Centre Fund was established in 1998. It is a partnership created to invest in high quality, dominant shopping centres around the UK. The Fund is managed by Grosvenor from its office in London, combining the expertise of the company’s fund and asset managers. The Fund currently owns Dolphin Shopping Centre, Poole; Coopers Square, Burton upon Trent; Eastgate Shopping Centre, Inverness; and Freshney Place Shopping Centre, Grimsby. For further information please contact the Coopers Square Press Office: Emma Spearing, Hazel PR Tel: 01202 862411 Fax: 01202 862301 Mobile: 07736 341828

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