February Team News
Posted : February 8, 2019

DCF News

• The DCF team has been working closely with the Coastal Communities Teams and wider public and private sector partners in Swanage, Weymouth, Portland, Lyme Regis & Charmouth to work up a second-stage application to Round 5 of the Coastal Communities Fund; we submitted it Friday 18^th This is a highly competitive fund, so we are pleased to have made it this far- we will discover whether we have been successful with the funding in April. The projects are focussed on improving the business backdrop and public realm in 4 key project areas in the communities mentioned above; this second stage has involved a substantial amount of work for all concerned, and we’d like to extend our thanks to everyone who has helped us pull it together. DCF has also supported applications from Bournemouth CCT and Weymouth CCT and we wish them the very best of luck with their applications.
• Natalie facilitated a workshop for Scalloptech regarding a potential aquaculture project.
• The Department of International Trade High Potential Opportunity for inward investment for aquaculture in the Dorset region launched today (Friday 8^th February). Find out more here.

Dorset Coastal Connections (DoCC)

• The Environment Agency’s planning application to carry out works for the West Bay Coastal Improvement Scheme has been approved. This includes the Dorset Coastal Connections East Beach Access project which is to install a boardwalk from the car park to the top of the shingle bank at East Beach. The essential flood defence works will be starting this month and an exhibition is being held at the Salt House in West Bay on Wednesday 13th February between 2pm and 7pm. Project managers, engineers and contractors will be on hand to talk through the works and to answer questions about the forthcoming flood defence works as well as the West Bay Welcome Hub and Cycle Access projects. Find out more here.
• The West Bay Cycle Access is progressing with vegetation clearance along the old railway line/bridleway from West Bay Road car park to Burton Road now complete in preparation for the surfacing works. Thank you for the enquiry received from a resident concerned about the glow worm population along this path.  We are pleased that Dorset County Council’s Natural Environment Team have been involved and as glow worms prefer to live in low-level vegetation, we are confident that the maintenance works will enhance the natural glow worm population that live there. Planned highway improvements for the cycle access along Burton Road and right of way resurfacing works along the old railway line are planned to take place this Spring.
• Alice Blogg’s design ‘Perching Places’ which will be seating and animal homes along the River Lim path as part of the Lyme Regis to Uplyme project is being developed further. See here for more details.

Dorset and East Devon Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG)

• After the last FLAG Board meeting late last month, the fund is now 72% committed to projects with one more project approved at that meeting
• The FLAG is looking for more projects to help fully commit the remaining funds and an open call for projects right across the Local Development Strategy has been made. If you have an idea for a project, know someone who does, or want to discuss an idea, please contact Martin on 01305 224766  or e-mail dorseteastdevonflag@dorsetcc.gov.uk. More details can be found on the FLAG website dorsetcoast.com/projects/FLAG also keep an eye out for more information across social media and local press. You will need to be quick though, as the fund will close on March 29^th 2019!
• The bridging loan service that was set up a little while ago is also still available for applicants to both FLAG and the core European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). This will help applicants who don’t have the funding available to pay for upfront costs related to FLAG or EMFF projects and has been set up in conjunction with Seafarers UK. For more information please contact Martin on 01305 224766 or Wyvern Savings and Loans on 01305 268444.
• Martin attended the Coastal Futures conference in London in late January. This conference was a great opportunity to highlight the ongoing good work that FLAG is carrying out in Dorset and East Devon.
• Don’t forget to follow FLAG on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with what’s going on.

Litter Free Coast and Sea (LFCS)

• LFCS are proud to be working with Litter Free Dorset (LFD) to help promote and support the campaign for Dorchester to become a Plastic Free town. The team joined LFD for a ‘Plastic Free’ business breakfast, where the ‘Eco Crew’ from Damers First School will be leading the session with a with a presentation. Going forward, we’ll be supporting them via our Plastics Surgery campaign.
• Great Dorset Beach Clean 2019 – April 27th and 28th April – Litter Free Coast and Sea are back with the 30th annual Great Dorset Beach Clean. Beach cleans will take place from Lyme Regis all along the coast to Friars Cliff. It’s a fantastic event that makes a real difference to our beaches, and people taking part carry out surveys of what’s found which helps us understand the top litter items found on our beaches. We then use that information to develop campaigns to try and reduce these items at source. Last year over 500 volunteers turned out to clear 350 bags of rubbish from Dorset’s beaches, and collected everything from single-use items like plastic bottles, to historic clay pipes and fishing line.
• Love Swanage – Clean Seas Weeks 4 – 22 April – Now planning two weeks of activities, walks, talks and displays, celebrating the life and love of our seas and how we can all help keep them clean and safe for people and wildlife. We’ll showcase reasons why the health of our seas is so important to us; quality of life and our future, and will include wildlife that inhabits the local area, the importance of the fishing industry on livelihoods and providing food and how we enjoy the sea for recreation, sport and health. The main exhibition area will be at Durlston Castle who are hosting the event for us. We are inviting partner organisations to run events and activities and aim to create an opportunity for groups and organisations to work together, share knowledge and experience and demonstrate this to the community. Already signed up is brilliant local artist Darrell Wakelam to create 3D characters that complement a FOG (Fats, Oils & Grease) story written for us by the amazing Martin Maudsley, ‘Chip and the Great Greasy squid’.

Tags: Dorset & East Devon FLAG, Dorset Coast Forum, Dorset Coastal Connections, Litter Free Coast & Seas