Stratford-upon-Avon-based tour company Go Cotswolds is teaming up with the Cotswolds Conservation Board to help the region celebrate the 50th anniversary of becoming a designated Area of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB).
The Cotswolds, the largest of the family of 38 AONBs in England and Wales, is 50 this year, having been designated an AONB in 1966. In 2016 the Cotswolds Conservation Board is putting on a number of special events to mark the occasion, including a series of “Golden Guided Tours” with Go Cotswolds.
The first of these unique tours takes place on Tuesday 5th April and will highlight the special relationship between the Cotswolds and the Arts and Crafts movement.
The tours, which will be provided by Go Cotswolds in a 16-seater minibus, will be led by Cotswolds Voluntary Wardens who have an intimate knowledge of the area, the Arts & Crafts movement and its significance in the Cotswolds.
The full day tour costs £40pp and includes a pick up/drop off from Stratford-upon-Avon or Broadway, tea/coffee and talk at Stanton Guildhouse, guided short walks in both Stanton and Broadway, and a Cotswolds Voluntary Warden led talk about Chipping Campden and CR Ashbee’s contribution to the Arts and Crafts movement. There will be ample free time in both Broadway and Chipping Campden for visitors to explore these towns with maps provided by Go Cotswolds.
Half of the ticket price will go directly to the Cotswolds AONB Visitor Giving Scheme – a fund to help conserve the Cotswolds for future generations.
Go Cotswolds, a recent finalist in the Tourism Initiative category of the Pride of Stratford Awards, usually provides tours of the Cotswolds from Stratford-upon-Avon on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Founder, driver and guide Tom Benjamin was delighted to have the opportunity to be a part of such a significant occasion.
He said: “We’re excited to be teaming up with the Cotswolds AONB to help celebrate the 50th anniversary – we love the Cotswolds, and we especially love showing new visitors its unique beauty and quirks. By joining forces with the Cotswolds Conservation Board and the knowledgeable Wardens we’re able to offer unique insights into the Arts and Crafts movement – an important part of the history and culture of the Cotswolds. In addition, we’re delighted to be able to make a significant contribution to the Cotswolds Visitor Giving Scheme as it’s something that is vital for the preservation of the Cotswolds for future generations.”
Martin Lane, Director of the Cotswolds Conservation Board said: "This is an exciting new way to see and explore the Cotswolds AONB and join in with the 50th anniversary celebrations. We are delighted to be working with Go Cotswolds and keen for other organisations and groups to join the celebrations by running their own events throughout the year."
For more information and to book tickets for the tour please visit www.gocotswolds.co.uk or call Tom on 07786 920166.
ENDS
Press contact:
Chris Brant, Communications Officer
Tel: 01451 862003 Email: chris.brant@cotswolds-nl.org.uk
Cotswolds Conservation Board, Fosse Way, Northleach, Gloucestershire GL54 3JH
Tel: 01451 862000 Website: www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk
Notes to editors:
· The Cotswolds was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1966 in recognition of its rich, diverse and high quality landscape. www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk
· The Cotswolds AONB is looked after by the Cotswolds Conservation Board – an independent organisation established in 2004 which has 37 members – 15 nominated by local authorities, 8 by parish councils and 14 appointed by the Secretary of State.
· The Cotswolds is the second largest protected landscape in England after the Lake District National Park and represents 10% of the total AONB area in the UK. It covers 2,038 square kilometres (790 square miles), stretching from Warwickshire and Worcestershire in the north, through Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, down to Bath and Wiltshire in the south.
· Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), along with National Parks, are considered to be the most special landscapes in the country and belong to an international family of protected areas. There are 38 AONBs in England and Wales, and a further eight in Northern Ireland. For further details, visit: www.landscapesforlife.org.uk. For details of the 15 National Parks in England and Wales visit: www.nationalparks.gov.uk
· Over 350 Cotswold Voluntary Wardens dedicate thousands of hours of practical conservation work every year across the AONB, as well as lead an annual programme of guided walks and undertake a range of promotional and educational work.
Go Cotswolds
· Go Cotswolds is an award-winning tour company that provides guided minibus day trips of the Cotswolds from Stratford-upon-Avon.
· Scheduled tours run on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and cost £35 per adult and £25 per child 15 and under.
· Former KES pupil Tom Benjamin founded the company in July 2014. Since then, Go Cotswolds has taken over 900 customers from 53 nations on tours of the Cotswolds.
· For more information or to make a booking, please contact Tom Benjamin on 07786 920166 or email tom@gocotswolds.co.uk
· The Go Cotswolds website is www.gocotswolds.co.uk