Written evidence submitted by The Eden Project (COM0025)
Mission
The Eden Trust, a UK charity (No 1093070), was established to build and operate the Eden Project in Cornwall as one of the United Kingdom's Landmark Millennium projects. The Eden Project is an educational charity that works to connect people to each other and the living world, exploring how we can all work towards a better future. Money raised supports transformational projects and learning programmes.
We believe in:
Transformation ‒ it’s in our nature. We demonstrate that regeneration is possible. In 2000, we transformed a derelict quarry into a beautiful garden and science education centre, demonstrating that humans can have a positive impact on the environment.
Connection. We connect people with each other and the living world that we all depend on for resources such as food, fuel, medicines and materials and services such as climate regulation, air conditioning, water recycling … We provoke people to think about the need for balance between cropping the land for resources and conserving the land for services because currently there are challenges.
Commonality. What we share is greater than that which separates us. We share 80% of our needs. We hope to inspire people to engage and explore their commonalities because working together we can achieve more.
All of our stories pick up threads from this overarching narrative. This positive approach shows that challenges can be overcome. The Eden Project is a symbol of hope.
The Destination
The Eden Project HQ is an international Visitor Destination and Science Learning Centre for all ages, abilities and interests: a spectacular venue for a great day out connecting people with each other and the living world. Nestled in a huge crater, massive covered Biomes house the largest rainforest in captivity, Mediterranean landscapes, stunning plants, crop displays, art installations and exhibitions serve as a backdrop to the striking contemporary Outdoor Gardens. The Core Education Building- the main Science and Learning Centre, draws the threads of the Eden story together.
The Eden Project has one of the largest displays of commercially important plants in the world. The cafes and retail, sourcing policy and products are an integral part of the narrative. Seasonal programmes, events and music concerts add vibrancy year round. Eden works with partners on environmental and social projects and pilots sustainability best practise in community engagement, energy, waste management and construction.
Economic Impact and Location
Since opening in 2001, the Eden Project has directly contributed over £1.7 billion to the local economy. It is situated in the Clay Country of Mid Cornwall, a rural area high on the indices of multiple deprivation, with GDP at less than 75% of the European average (67%.) Cornwall consistently has one of the lowest R and D spends in the country and as such is the last county in England to receive European Structural Funding.
Despite its rural location, it is the largest paid-for visitor attraction and science centre in the south of the country outside London and despite a sparse local population of only 0.5m in Cornwall, consistently attracts in the region of 1m visitors a year since opening.
It is the only comparable science learning serving this region in the south west, the nearest being At Bristol Science Centre, 150 miles away.
Demographic
In 2015 Eden attracted a total of 960,822 visitors to its site in Cornwall. An increase of 11% on the previous year- comprised of mixed family groups, adult groups, overseas tourists, hard-to-reach and disadvantaged groups and many local community groups.
Eden is an informal science learning organisation with a difference- regarded as a world-leader but based in the rural far south west. Publicly voted UK Visitor Attraction of the Year for the past 4 years, Eden appeals to a very wide demographic, many of whom would not normally consider visiting a ‘science education centre.’ Eden attract an annual local audience of 272,000 (32% total) in a region with areas high on Indices of Multiple Deprivation and low in science capital. Our local pass and community schemes mean that money is no barrier to entry for the local audience.
As such, the Eden Project is a science centre in the broadest sense of the word- as well as: a botanical garden, a great day out visitor centre featuring on many people’s ‘bucket list of places to see, an astonishing example of world-class architecture, engineering and technology .As such the Eden Project attracts a very diverse audience, often differing from traditional science centres in the sense of not being those traditionally interested in science themes. One of its key objectives is education by stealth- fun, experiential and emotive learning.
The website receives around 3 million visits annually with 9 million page views. Social media channels have 1.5 million YouTube views, 90,000 Facebook friends, and 53,000 Twitter followers.
Education and Learning
Eden Projects schools workshops have been designed to complement both the primary and secondary science curriculums. Schools workshops cover range of experiential learning based on nature, and hands-on investigative science workshops on DNA, climate/ weather, biodiversity, ecosystems and evolution.
The Eden Schools Programme attracts around 47,000 pupils per year and covers Creative Professional Development (CPD) for in excess of 300 teachers per year (accountable for 9000 students.)
We have over 2000 organised tertiary education visits per annum
Eden Project Learning has established our own HE, FE, apprenticeship and degree programmes, showcasing a unique experiential style of learning, working in partnership with Cornwall College and Plymouth University. Degrees are offered in plant science, landscape and garden design, event management and contemporary performance and storytelling. The first intake in 2015 comprised 70 students, rising to 150 in 2016-17.
Architectural and Engineering Projects
Large construction projects include the design and build of Eden itself (2000/2001, £80m build), the Stage and ice rink (2004, £1.4m build) and the Core Educational Centre (2005, £15m build).
Event: Dinosaur Uproar 2015
A site wide experience exploring paleontological science and natural history with roaming dinosaur puppets. Families dig for fossils, meet marine reptiles and several life-size animatronic T. rexs. Cost:£400,000. 234,000 people visited in 6 weeks of summer (20% up on previous year).
Exhibit: Rainforest Canopy Walkway
Accessible canopy level boardwalk in rainforest. Interpretation on biodiversity and canopy science. £1.2 million. Funders: Garfield Weston Foundation, the Wolfson Foundation, Eddie George Memorial Appeal. Delivered on time and budget using external construction team. 77% visitors said the Walkway was the reason they came or an important factor in their visit to Eden.
Exhibit: Invisible You- The Human Microbiome
Permanent exhibition exploring the unfolding story of the science of the human microbiome using a range of art based interpretative media. £250,000, Wellcome Trust Society Award, 2013. Delivered on time and budget with internal team and commissioned external artists. Over 800,000 participants since opening in May 2015 and a projected audience of over 5 million in the lifespan of the project.
Programme: The Big Lunch
Eden’s most successful outreach project, the Big Lunch, which has been running since 2009, last year encouraged over 7m UK residents, to sit down and have lunch with their neighbours in June 2015. Research shows that those participating came every type of community abd region across the UK.
Programme: The Crunch
Working with the Wellcome Trust, the Association of Science and Discovery Centres and other partners, the Eden Project is leading delivery of elements of this £7m national programme on the food and drink system to 500 ambassadors around the UK and to family audiences on and off site in Cornwall over summer 2016.
Programme: DigiGirlz
Working in partnership with Microsoft, Eden Project hosted a Microsoft DigiGirlz event in September 2015. DigiGirlz, gives 100 young women from 10 Cornish secondary schools the opportunity to learn about careers in technology, connect with Microsoft employees, and participate in hands-on computer and technology workshops. Microsoft is providing DigiGirlz Days all over the globe, the Eden Project being one of two events held in the UK.
What others say:-
‘The 35-acre site is a shrine to ingenuity and the human imagination filled with sculptures, play areas, vegetable gardens, restaurants and even a zip wire, all with environmental conservation, education and sustainability as their core message. The result is the world’s most exotic, scent-filled, fun, interactive, imaginative and sheer mind-blowing classroom on the planet! ‘
Richard Madden, Telegraph, 25 Aug 2015
‘Its glorious exposition of the natural world must rank as one of the great British achievements of this generation. Eden is brilliantly organised and guided from the first car park to the last cafe, a skilful mix of plants and playgrounds and an inspiration to any child from eight upwards.’
Max Hastings, Sunday Times, 9th August 2015.
‘Eden Project … a highly accessible learning space in which important public messages are communicated effectively to large numbers of people. There is no other such centre of excellence for experiment and innovation on environmental education and communication anywhere in the UK.’
April 2016