This is what receiving a huge amount of money from the Coast Communities Fund looks like.
The latest round of awards from the Govenment were announced last week and a whopping £452,000 headed our way. So it was out on the cliff tops with photographer Paul Atkinson to have a rousing photo taken of staff and visitors as news of the award spread around the reserve.
We couldn't be more thrilled and we couldn't be more grateful. And we are going to put the money to very good use. It will be spent wisely, alongside the Heritage Lottery Funding received last year, to enhance the visitor experience for both the public and educational groups. In practical terms this will mean extending the parking area, expanding the shop, improving essential facilities such as toilets and on-site catering as well as creating much needed office space and a multi-funcitional area at the heart of the new visitor centre.
It's certainly an exciting time and when our plans come to fruition in Spring 2015, we will truly be a year-round visitor destination which we hope will help us attract more supporters, bring in more revenue (to both the charity and our local community) and ultimately allow us to undertake more conservation work. We'll keep you updated on how the project is progressing here. Meanwhile, we'll continue celebrating our latest funding award for a little while longer.