Bronze is the colour....

Well - what an achievement! Encounter Cornwall won a beautiful Jo Downs glass award last night at the Headland Hotel - Bronze for 'Wildlife Friendly Business' at the Cornwall Tourism awards.

Although we have been commended before, this was our first visit to the big finals, and we were very happy to win an award - there are just the two of us (no Carol, we haven't forgotten you!) running almost everything, and the Silver & Gold were awarded to far more experienced, bigger & deserving businesses. The judges had said that our 'knowledge & passion for the environment was inspiring' (!), and Karen decided to celebrate the event further by making a dress for the occasion - embroidering our favourite birds on the skirt, and hand painting the rest in a sea/estuary inspired print, complete with found beach glass sewn into the waistband....The only problem she didn't see coming was the trophy & her dress blend a bit too well! Our award was presented by Sir Tim Rice (so a nice bit of musical appropriateness), & Keith Hambly-Staite of Cornwall Wildlife Trust, along with a representative of Trebah Gardens who sponsored the category.

So what's next? well, we will spend the winter working on more ideas that we've had, hopefully getting things ready for possibly Feb half term, but definitely Easter 2017, and see if we can improve and learn more, and carrying on sharing that passion & enthusiasm with our visitors....