The Sidmouth Biodiversity Festival has been awarded £1,600 from the Sid Vale Association’s Keith Owen Fund.

The Sid Vale Association (SVA) presented the funds to the Sid Valley Biodiversity Group who are organising the festival which takes place in and around the town from June 5-11.

A wide range of free events are on offer during the fesitival, which aims to inform people about the diversity present in the valley, including guided walks led by knowledgeable local guides, talks at Kennaway House and children's activities, designed to inspire the next generation of nature conservationists.

Alan Clarke, SVA Keith Owen fund committee chair said: “The Keith Owen Fund is delighted to be able to support the establishment of a Biodiversity Festival for Sidmouth. We wish the Sid Valley Biodiversity Group every success, and hope their festival will become a regular feature of the Sidmouth calendar for many years to come.”

Sheila Meades, co-ordinator of the festival on behalf of the Sid Valley Biodiversity Group, said: “We are very grateful to the Sid Vale Association for supporting our new festival through its Keith Owen Fund. We are offering over thirty events which will provide an excellent opportunity for people to explore the natural beauty of the Sid Valley, learn about the importance of nature conservation and enriching biodiversity and take part in a range of fun and educational activities.”

All festival events are free, though donations to support the Sid Valley Biodiversity Group’s activities are welcome. Booking is required for some events due to limited space. For full details of all the events and to book where required, visit the group’s website. www.SidValleyBiodiversity.org or look for QR codes on the posters around town.

On Saturday, June 10 from 8.am to 9.30am an accessible bird walk for novices and Sunday 11 June 14 from 2.pm to 4pm a nature exploration on the site. Both events need to be pre-booked.