Supporting our Kuruwitu partners and the Kenya Royal Tour
A Royal Visit to Kenya
2nd November 2023 marked an historic occasion for Vipingo Ridge. We were honoured to welcome His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
Playing our part in the Royal Tour
From Tuesday 31st October to 3rd November there was a four-day Royal Visit to Kenya by His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Their visit was a celebration of the warm relationship between the two countries. Kenya will soon be celebrating 60 years of independence this December, and the Their Majesties’ visit was an honour for all of us.
On their tour Their Majesties have visited Nairobi and the Coast, meeting a variety of organisations. Their focus has been particularly on raising awareness of conservation projects, sustainability, youth and innovation. They also visited the Mtongwe Naval Base to celebrate Britain and Kenya’s defence collaboration and paid their respects with a touching moment at a war memorial.
Vipingo Ridge had two roles to play in the visit of Their Majesties. We were the supporting venue for The King’s visit to the Kuruwitu coral restoration project. Our Vipingo Ridge Beach Club is the site of the headquarters of this pioneering conservation work. We also were selected as a private place for Their Majesties, where they dined together. The British High Commission and Palace staff had an event separately experiencing the hospitality of Vipingo Ridge during their busy tour.
Vipingo Ridge as a personal retreat
It was a true honour that Their Majesties chose Vipingo Ridge as their stay to relax in the evening during their visit to the Kuruwitu Marine Reserve.
Vipingo Ridge was selected for its discretion, privacy, and high standards, offering a peaceful sanctuary to the Royal Couple.
Visit to Kuruwitu Marine Reserve
A highlight for our community was The King’s visit to Kuruwitu Marine Reserve. This pioneering collaboration between Oceans Alive and the Kuruwitu Community Business Organisation was recognised on the global stage for the work in community-led conservation.
The King arrived at the Vipingo Ridge Beach Club and walked through the Oceans Alive building, before learning about the sustainable food production systems in the gardens. The local coastal community representatives met with His Highness and explained the role of diversifying food groups, nutrition education and the empowerment of women in the fishing community.
King Charles III learns more about the empowerment of women in the Kuruwitu fishing community and the sustainable food practices being adopted across the community.
At the Beach Terrace the Oceans Alive team had the opportunity to highlight their award-winning work, including underwater footage of the amazing experience of the coral reforestation. At the beach The King learned about the remarkable marine conservation efforts from members of the community.
Passing through the Beach Club to the coral workshop, His Majesty was involved in restoring the coral habitat by creating part of an artificial coral head that bore his royal cypher.
Standing alongside Katana Ngala Hinzano, the coral restoration officer for Oceans Alive, The King showed a keen interest in coral gardening and inquired about the process, particularly how fish interacted with and maintained the coral. This reef was then placed in the seabed by the Oceans Alive team.
His Highness requested updates on how his coral progresses, and for our Homeowners, Residents and Vipingo Ridge Beach Club Visitors this cypher branded coral head will be available for underwater viewing.
To conclude the beach visit His Majesty also had the opportunity to meet with community elders, engaging in discussions about local conservation efforts that have been happening for 20 years.
A Rainy Royal Send-off
Following their overnight stay at Vipingo Ridge, as the King and Queen prepared to leave, security protocols allowed for details to be shared, enabling our homeowners to come out and wave the royals off. Despite the rain, homeowners and residents gathered to express their warm regards and bid farewell to Their Majesties as they departed.
The Kuruwitu Community Partners
This visit was all about our partners Oceans Alive Kenya and the Kuruwitu CBO, who through their dedication and hard work have created the most fantastic natural wonder on our doorstep. It showcases the beauty of our region and our collective commitment to conservation and sustainability.
We look forward to continuing to celebrate and build on these partnerships, ensuring that Vipingo Ridge remains a place of excellence and collaboration for all.
