Meet the Chase Creatures and help protect Cannock Chase…

The new virtual Chase Creatures have now found their forever home at Marquis Drive as part of an augmented reality trail to help protect Cannock Chase.

The Chase Creatures Trail is a short route around Marquis Drive where people will meet some friendly characters. Each Chase Creature represents one of the messages in the Cannock Chase Code.

After a successful community testing day in May, the virtual trail is now ready for children and families to explore this summer.

The Chase Creatures Challenge is available on the Cannock Chase Can App and forms part of a new interactive health and wellbeing offer. Users will need to collect all 12 characters to complete the challenge. Full instructions on how to take part in the challenge can be found under the Move Well and Naturally Well themes on the app.

The characters have been designed by local schoolchildren working alongside professional artists and the Cannock Chase Special Area of Conservation (SAC) Partnership. The Partnership is working to protect and enhance the Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and wider Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) through education, conservation and ecological focused projects.

Students from South Staffordshire College have provided the voiceovers which bring to life the characters. The aim of the project is to raise awareness and appreciation of the special and unique qualities found on Cannock Chase, and how to protect it for future generations.

Louise Rose, Chair of Cannock Chase Cultural Education Partnership, said: “The Chase Creatures trail is a great way to keep the children, and adults (!), entertained this summer. It was wonderful for the children, who took part in the creative design element of the project, see their work come to life at the event in May. We can’t wait for other families to now experience the challenge. This project shows how by using creative approaches, organisations can communicate important messages in a fun and engaging way”.

Kinga Niedzinska, Cannock Chase SAC Partnership Engagement Officer, said: “The SAC Partnership is incredibly proud of the Chase Creatures project. Thank you to the whole team who have worked extremely hard on making this niche adventure come to life in the heart of Cannock Chase. It will not only inspire the next generation and their families on how to protect Cannock Chase but also provide an exciting and memorable experience when visiting this special and fragile place full of natural beauty.’’

This initiative has been funded by the Cannock Chase Special Area of Conservation (SAC) Partnership and Cannock Chase Cultural Education Partnership and supports the wider Cannock Chase Can programme.

The Cannock Chase Can App is available to download for free via Google Play and the App Store.