To us, engagement with visitors is about inspiring a love of the natural world, and our need to protect it. At Chesil, the formation of diverse habitats, birds, mammals, rare plants and insects, and recreational pressures are among topics of conversation. Suggesting places to walk allows visitors to experience the area for themselves.

Working with children, pond dipping, mini creature hunting and meadow sweeping at Lorton is great fun. Watching the smile of an adult given the opportunity to have ‘a go’ is priceless. We are all children at heart!

Kimmeridge has a rich marine environment and is steeped in industrial archaeology. In the centre, and on the shore, unusual facts about life in rock pools, and the effects of plastic pollution on our oceans are aspects of our ‘chats’. We enjoy listening to reminiscing visitors who have previously lived in the area - what a lot we can learn!

If we don’t know an answer, we will suggest a way of finding out. Returning home, research keeps our brains active. If one person looks more carefully at their surroundings, then we are happy. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know the name of something, just marvel at it.

Karen and Alan Hocking