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Well, it's been another busy time in the Explore Braunton camp and this past week has seen all sorts of progress made. I have recently returned from a meeting in Exeter to discuss project finances, which was highly successful, and I am now much reassured about the budget (or lack of it!) - at least I know I'm on the right track now.

Last week we had a very positive meeting with Node's CEO Paddy Willis. Not only did we have the opportunity to ask him a great many questions but we were able to show him our Saunton tour route, known as Shifting Sands. It was a constructive meeting and we now feel confident that Node are going to work wth us to iron out the glitches we're having. I've been keeping tabs on the devices in our possesion and monitoring how each is working. Interestingly enough some work very well and others are quite stubborn about behaving, but anyway, testing continues.

I am told that I'll soon have a draft of the web-site to see and I can't wait for that and progress is also being made with the downloadable walks leaflets and guided walk leader training, albeit slow progress. The weeks just turn into one long blur but I'm comforted when I look back and see how much we've achieved to date - although there's a way to go yet we've done a lot and, as they say, Rome wasn't built in a day.

At home I've got back into my running and, after recent training success, I have been foolhardy enough to enter a 10k with a difference. Organised using fancy technology by Nike, it's called the Human Race and with the help of gps and internet technology, they aim to have a million or more people worldwide running a 10k on 31.08.08. There's venues in major cities around the world but if you can't make it to one of them, you can choose your own route. Your pace, time, etc is then beamed back to the Nike web-site and your results logged. You can use the same gadgetry to compete with others all over the world at other times and I think it sounds like a great way to find a running partner any time you want one! I am now trying to identify a nice flat route for 31.08.08 and think Barnstaple to Braunton a good one. 10k is basically 6.2 miles and, although I've never run that far I think I'm up to it (gulp!). Once my gadget arrives in the post I'll start logging training runs and the results might appear here (haha!) but either way my personal training goals are here so you can always leave me a message (try to be nice!) if you'd like to offer any encouragement.

That's it for now - back soon!

July Report

Hi - I thought it worth including here a recent report of the AONB Project Officer about Explore Braunton:

Explore Braunton: Update
Report of North Devon AONB Project Officer

7 July 2008

Background

Grant Funding from Heritage Lottery, Devon Renaissance, North Devon AONB, Devon County Council and Biosphere Schools totalling £99,000.

Anticipated outputs are:

• Feasibility Study for Handigas Site
• Production of a web site Explore Braunton, including six downloadable walks leaflets
• Multimedia tour using new technology
• Training of volunteer guides to lead walks
• Workshops for local businesses to realise the economic potential
• Engagement with schools and community on interpretative elements
• Development of Interpretation Board/Parish Map

A condition of grant was that the project be handed to the local community within 12 months of completion of the project.

Feasibility Study: complete, however BP (the site owners) subsequently found another use for the site and have offered to reimburse costs, incurred by the Service, at a reasonable level. The research and data from the project will be useful if there are future proposals for a similar centre.

Web-Site: progressing well will be live very soon. Will be launched officially in September. The downloadable walks leaflets are currently being developed.

Multimedia Devices: Node Explorer tours completed, units delivered and currently ground testing. Schools and others delighted with the tours but technical issues still being ironed out as part of contract with supplier. There is a two year warranty on the product and a three year license.

Volunteer Guides: North Devon Leisure Guides will assist with setting up a training programme for Braunton volunteers, next training day planned for middle of July.

Business Workshops: The initial work has been carried out through Devon Wildlife Trust Business Workshops held this winter. A business launch will be held in September.

Engagement of Community and Schools: Excellent engagement with the wider community and with 5 secondary schools.

Development of Interpretation Board/Parish Map: The Project is currently working in partnership with Braunton Parish Council to develop this element of the project. Four relevant and experienced contractors have been asked to submit a quotation for production of the boards, with a deadline date for completion being the middle of September. The main site identified for one of the boards is the land near the village green and River Caen, in the centre of the village.


Hand-over to the community:
There are three phases to this:

1. 10 Year Commitment
The AONB is a publicly funded body hosted by DCC. We are not a community organisation, nor will our legal advisors allow us to loan equipment through a third party or to bank money etc.

We therefore need a strong organisation with long term financial security to take on the 10 year commitment to the whole project. At this stage the only organisation that has offered to do this is North Devon Theatres Trust, which has recently taken over responsibility for Museums in North Devon and meet the requirements in terms of experience in delivering projects, are financially viable and are a community organisation in that they are a Trust. They do not wish to make a profit from the project. The Explore Braunton Project Steering Group have agreed this and a contract will be developed. Once this is agreed the Steering Group and North Devon AONB will work with the Trust to secure the future of the project beyond the funding period.

2. Local Delivery and Hire of the Node Explorers
Whilst ownership of the equipment will be vested in the Theatres Trust (subject to the legal agreement being signed) the Node Explorers need to be made available locally. A hire charge will need to be made to cover insurance, running costs, etc. The value of the Node Explorers, warranty and content is approximately £45,000. Following discussion with our legal and financial advisors the project steering group need to be convinced that the body that will handle the day to day rental of the equipment has a robust business plan that demonstrates:

• Day to day availability to the public
• Hire charges
• How they will be made available to schools
• Longer term financial viability: beyond year 3
• Security of the equipment
• Benefit to the local community
• That the project will be run on a not-for-profit basis with any profit over and above reasonable running costs being re-invested in the project

The AONB Project Officer Dave Edgcombe has explored potential solutions for local delivery with North Devon Environmental Trust (who own the Countryside Centre) and with Kingfisher Multimedia and asked both organisations to submit proposals for day to day management for evaluation by the Steering Group. Discussions with the County Library Service are also taking place.

Following these preliminary discussions the AONB Project Officer will supply a specification to all interested parties to enable preparation and evaluation of submissions.

Due to the complexity of hire agreements it is unlikely that we will pilot the Explorers this summer.

3. Handover of Web-Site
Once the web site is launched and tested we will investigate suitable hosts for long term management of this. Again we will supply a specification to interested parties.

Not Midsummer Weather!

Midsummer has then come and gone. It has rained on and off almost continuously since and I have been caught on more than one occasion. Perhaps the most frustrating consequence of the weather was experienced by Goldcoast Oceanfest, who suffered a lot of rain on the first day (Friday, which was Education Day) and such high winds on Sunday that the music stage had to be closed - I believe the winds were over 40mph! Midsummer indeed.

The Explorers continue to present some unique and awkward challenges and the decision has now been taken to postpone the launch until all issues have been resolved. It is rather a shame to have missed this summer season but there's no doubt that much testing and decision-making needs to be done before a proper launch can be justified. The development and implementation of the devices has been, and continues to be, a steep learning curve and despite the problems I still maintain that it's been a valuable experience. That's not to say it's over!

The web-site is now eagerly anticipated and yes, I have found still more to add to it. It seems that the interesting information about Braunton is never ending and it will be wonderful to see so much of it collated and presented to the world at large. We had a successful monitoring visit from Devon Renaissance's representative yesterday and, although it threw up some action points, it went well. Now progress needs to be made with my self-guided walks leaflets and the recruitment of volunteers for training in leading guided walks. Volunteers need to be of working age but not working full time or be threatened with losing their job if they are working full time. If this applies to you and you would like to benefit from subsidised training, or if you know of anyone who might, please do get in touch. You'll need to be reasonably local to Braunton and have an interest in the area.

Outside work, I am very much looking forward to Yeovilton Air Day on Saturday. No doubt it will rain as forecast (why is the forecast only ever right when it rains?!) but I am determined to enjoy it nonetheless. We are taking my partner's son as a birthday treat - he enjoyed it very much last year and loved the opportunity to sit in a helicopter alongside the pilot, although his legs weren't long enough to reach the pedals. The pilot suggested he come back when his legs are long enough, so we're going this year to see how much they've grown!