East Suffolk Council
Kittiwake project takes flight with councillors' support
Two East Suffolk councillors have awarded funding towards an initiative which aims to raise awareness about endangered kittiwakes.
Cllrs Graham Parker and George King, ward members for Gunton and St Margarets, granted £5,000 from their Enabling Communities Budgets to support ‘Kittiwake Champions’, a pioneering community project by Nature Play CIC.
The initiative highlights the red-listed kittiwake seabirds that nest along the rooftops of Lowestoft – one of only two inshore nesting sites in the UK.
Despite their delicate beauty and global conservation status, kittiwakes are often mistaken for common gulls. Kittiwake Champions aspires to change perceptions through hands-on educational events, crafts for children, and long-term public information boards, all designed to engage residents and visitors alike in this important local conservation story.
Interactive stalls will pop up at public events, including the popular First Light Festival, featuring children’s activities like nest-building with beach-combed materials and clay kittiwake crafts, along with multilingual leaflets and displays of real kittiwake nests recovered after storms.
One of the project’s early highlights includes a young participant who, inspired by the program, created his own kittiwake fact file and now enthusiastically spots the birds around town. He often talks about kittiwakes at home, bringing newfound awareness and excitement to his family’s everyday walks.
Councillor Graham Parker said:
"I would like to offer a huge thank you to all those that helped out and make Nature Play so successful. Such a worthy cause, and it’s been a pleasure to support the organisation in its development."
The project is spearheaded by Lyndsey Moore, Founder and Community Officer at Nature Play CIC, who added:
"Kittiwake Champions is all about helping people fall in love with what’s right here in Lowestoft – our amazing wildlife. Seeing children become ambassadors for these birds is one of the most rewarding outcomes I could ask for."
Nature Play CIC is also inviting more young people and families to become Kittiwake Champions, spreading the word and helping build a community of coastal conservation stewards.
For more information on the project, or to get involved, visit the Nature Play website or email natureplaycic@gmail.com.
Each of East Suffolk Council’s 55 elected members has an Enabling Communities Budget to support activities delivered by community, voluntary and social enterprise organisations.
Projects have previously included village hall refurbishments, one-off events to benefit the wider community, youth groups and activities, and the purchase of play equipment and defibrillators.