Education focus for Sea-Changer grant awards

A range of innovative and diverse educational projects have been awarded grants in the latest round of Sea-Changers grants.

The projects are designed to raise awareness of major marine conservation issues, provide education around solutions and inspire public engagement and involvement, according to Scubaverse.

Sea-Changers awarded a total of £6,200 spread over eight projects which also included research and species protection initiatives.

The 2020 grant money comes from scuba divers, sailors and cruise-goers and from Sea-Changers’ marine business partners including Mike’s Dive Store, Port and Lemon and 10 International, who have raised funds through sales of their environmentally-conscious ‘Sea Change’ wine range. 

Since its inception in 2011, Sea-Changers has awarded over 180 marine conservation grants to projects across the UK, channelling over £120,000 in funding towards the protection of the country’s coasts and seas.

In the autumn 2020 grants round, four of the projects funded have a strong education focus. Funding will contribute towards the Marine Conservation Society’s ‘Cool Seas’ Education programme in Scotland. The Scottish Seabird Centre will also receive a grant towards their digital ‘Meet the Scientist’ events, which provide the opportunity for audiences to hear first-hand from, and interact with, experts in the field of cutting-edge marine science research and conservation.

Scubaverse reports that earlier in 2020, Sea-Changers supported the Seahorse Trust in their development of an online Seahorse Biology, Ecology and Conservation Course and we were able to provide further funding in this grant round to fully fund 10 “Sea-Changer Learner awards” to increase the accessibility and inclusivity of this learning opportunity. The final education-based project is SeaStraw. This Manchester based project aims to provide a range of educational approaches to the city dwellers of Manchester about their connection to the ocean.

Other projects funded include: 

• A grant to Blue Seas Protection marine conservation group which will allow them to purchase a beach hut to use as a marine conservation centre to raise public awareness about marine conservation issues within the marine conservation zone of the Isle of Wight Biosphere.

• Funding to Manx Wildlife Trust for a project designed to trial the establishment of a new seagrass bed in an historic site in the Isle of Man.

• An award for the Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry Laboratory (SIBL) which will fund a field-based nitrogen isotope (d 15N) study of coastal macroalgae (seaweed) along the north east coast of England from the River Tyne to the River Tees: the Durham Heritage Coast.