2 Million Visits for National Forest Discovery Centre

On Thursday 12th August 2010, the £16m Conkers Discovery Centre in the heart of The National Forest was celebrating, following the arrival of its two-millionth visitor – a family of four from Fleetwood in Lancashire. Lee and Helen Gair, along with their two children: Megan, aged 10 and Will aged 9, were presented with a gift hamper, a certificate declaring their place in the Centre’s history and an Annual Family Ticket which allows them to return as many times as they like over the next 12 months. Making the presentation to the lucky visitors, Stephen Woolfe, chairman of the Heart of the National Forest Foundation, the charitable organisation ultimately responsible for the site, congratulated them and wished them an enjoyable visit to the Centre. Lee Gair, a 38-year old engineer, and his wife Helen, aged 37 – a teaching assistant at Shakespeare Primary School, Fleetwood, explained that they were visiting during their family’s week-long camping trip to the area. Mr. Gair said: “When they told us that we were the two-millionth visitor and that we had won a prize, we couldn’t believe it. Stuff like this never happens to us!” “We are all really pleased to be taking part in this momentous event and looking forward to our day at Conkers.” Stephen Woolfe commented: “We are absolutely delighted that the Conkers Discovery Centre has reached this impressive milestone.” “What’s important is that the attraction is still gaining in popularity, even after nearly ten years in business. Visitor numbers are going from strength-to-strength and we are welcoming more and more children and their families – helping us meet our objectives in providing recreation, entertainment and education for the wider community on environmental issues. “I’d like to thank everyone that has contributed to the success of the Centre over the years; the staff, sponsors, the local community and other supporting organisations - not forgetting the most important ones of all – the visiting public.” Set in amongst a lush forest park that straddles the border of Derbyshire and Leicestershire, the site is now in stark contrast to the industrial wasteland that was there only a mere decade before. Launched as a Millennium Project, the site has flourished and won many awards along the way. The idea of Conkers was first conceived back in the late 1990s 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, barefoot walk, interactive floor and a train ride. Chris Sturdy, general manager, with Planning Solutions Ltd, the company responsible for the day-to-day operation of the attraction, added: “We’re really pleased to be celebrating our two-millionth visitor today and I think that this underlines the vital role that the Centre and the wider National Forest initiative is playing in the regeneration of the former Midland Coalfields.” For further information please visit http://www.visitconkers.com ENDS Pictures are available at the link shown at the foot of this message.

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