The health and wellbeing benefits of being on, in or by the water are well reported. But for a long time, Plymouth wasn’t fully embracing the sea and its waterfront.

It’s bid to create the UK’s first National Marine Park – which received a £9.5million Heritage Horizon Awards grant last summer – set out to change all that.

12-months on, the impact and benefit of our investment is already being felt across the city. Thousands of people have been taking part in community events, with many engaging with the water for the first time.

For us to fund a project, particularly at this scale, an essential outcome is that a wider range of people can be involved in heritage, and this has been seen through these fantastic community events.

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “For us to fund a project, particularly at this scale, an essential outcome is that a wider range of people can be involved in heritage, and this has been seen through these fantastic community events.

“The ‘Park in the Sea’ will re-establish the bond between community and sea that has defined Plymouth for centuries and given its sense of place.”

In numbers

To date, over 6,000 Plymouth residents have joined in National Marine Park events:

• 3,682 people attended the sell-out Open Weekend in April, hearing all about the project for the first time 
• 281 people (167 children, 114 adults) have enjoyed the series of Mini Splash events, trying activities like paddleboarding, swimming, snorkelling, diving, rockpooling and an archaeology camp
• 2,200 people took part in the Big Blue Splash Weekend at the end of July, enjoying free activities including boat tours, yoga, kayaking, paddleboarding and swimming

Throughout August, a series of Sea in the Park events will take the National Marine Park to green spaces across the city.

Another integral part of the project is ensuring Plymouth residents have opportunities to contribute to its outcomes and legacy for the city.

Councillor Pat Patel, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Culture, Leisure & Sport at Plymouth City Council, said: "We've been thrilled to see so many of our community engaging with the Marine Park. It's been a great opportunity to allow everyone to have a chance to shape what our future will look like, as we want to be guided by the people of Plymouth to create the people’s ‘Park in the Sea’.” 

Why Plymouth?

Plymouth Sound is one of the world’s most important and visually stunning natural harbours and is home to protected marine life and seascapes. It is a global hub for marine leisure industries, a historic tourist destination where pioneering voyagers set sail, as well as being home to the largest naval base in Western Europe.

Our Heritage Horizon Awards investment reflects the ambitions of the National Marine Park project to transform the city’s relationship with the water, preserve its heritage, improve the wellbeing of its residents and address consequences of the climate crisis.

Explore more

Discover the four other projects that received a share of our £50m Heritage Horizon Awards last summer. And check out Plymouth’s programme of Marine Park events happening over the coming weeks and months.

Got an idea for your own marine project or engaging your local community with its heritage? Explore what we can fund and contact your local office for further advice.