July Team news
Posted : August 9, 2019

DCF NEWS

DCF is recruiting! As readers will be aware, our previous Support Officer Sophie Franks has moved on to pastures new, and we are looking for somebody to fill her post. Full details of this exciting opportunity to work in our small, fast-paced team are available here. Application deadline is 7^th July.

It has been another busy month for the DCF team, as we have been working away behind the scenes to progress a number of projects and DCF core work.

Natalie attended the Climate Change Adaptation Framework for Dorset workshop, run by Dorset LNP, and a workshop hosted by Natural England on ideas to reduce the environmental pressures of recreational boating in the Solent (with a mind to sharing experience of Dorset’s successes, and how other ideas might be applied in Dorset).

Dorset Coastal Connections (DoCC)

The Weymouth Promenade Artistic lighting scheme is now back on track and will be installed during the autumn. Unavoidable delays have been due to cost and technical issues during the tender process for the manufacture and installation of the scheme, which have now been resolved. The final cost of the project is £265,000, with Weymouth Town Council approving a contribution of £5000 following a presentation by Natalie at their meeting on 26th June.
Carved timber seating and wooden animal homes designed by local furniture maker, Alice Blogg are now in place at three locations along the River Lim path that runs between Uplyme and Lyme Regis. The new seats are inspired by the local mill industry and the animal homes have been created for birds, bees and bats as part of an animal architecture workshop for local students.
Groundworks at the West Bay ‘Hub’ are progressing well with the paving and concreting creating a circular design and radiating lines which are now complete. Contractor, Dorset Highways, pressed on during recent wet weather to complete the ground surfacing and re-opened the hub area on 25th June for everyone to use, including motorcycle parking. Installation of the hub’s artist-designed circular seating has been delayed due to additional modelling requirements needed by the fabricator for their casting process. Work to install the seating, central bronze orientation feature, and lay the resin bound aggregate surface to the outer circle, will require the area to be closed again for a few days in early September.
Also in West Bay, improvements to the shared route along the old railway line are coming along well with the section from Burton Road to Meadowlands subsurface grounds works complete with the top, natural gravel layer to be laid shortly. Works along the section from Meadowlands to West Bay Road car park will take place in July. All improvement works will be put on hold over the summer holiday to be completed early September.

Dorset and East Devon Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG)

Martin has been busy supporting applicants to get their claims submitted to the MMO for payment, as well as continuing to assist with working up applications to the core EMFF fund.

He has created an infographic which shows the key achievements of the FLAG to date. You can view this on our website here.

Litter Free Coast and Sea (LFCS)

Swanage

Sustainable Swanage has launched! It’s a very exciting new community group who already have lots of positive changes already in motion. Driven by LFCS Project Officer Sarah Spurling, who is supporting the community with tips, experiences and best practice, the group is working hard to make Swanage a Plastic Free Town. Find out more about Sustainable Swanage here.
Swanage also has a new 2-Minute Beach Clean Board. Thank you to Dean from Quay Desserts for hosting it.
There are new several businesses in Swanage who have joined up to the Refill scheme. Look out for the Refill logo in windows (not just in Swanage- it’s nationwide!) or download the app. You can also fill up from the taps on Shore road. Save money and reduce the millions of water bottles used and discarded every day.
Litter-free Purbeck ran a ‘Blitz the Butts’ campaign in Swanage town centre, collecting 6 large jars full in 3 hours with 16 volunteers. It’s the most common form of ocean litter, worse than plastic straws, so it would be great to continue this campaign over the summer, encouraging more smokers to dispose of ‘Butts’ responsibly.

Business Awards

We’re delighted to announce that three more businesses have been awarded a Litter Free Coast and Sea Award. Congratulations West Dorset Leisure Holidays at Highlands End, Teachers Building Society, and The Dorset Wildlife Trust at Lorton Meadows Conservation Centre.
All our Business Award holders know how important clean beaches with high bathing water quality are to the local communities, tourism and the environment and by making simple changes, recognise how they can support and help create cleaner seas. You too can take your business from good to great with simple measures that make all the difference. Find out more here.

Confetti Gate

An episode of Don’t Tell the Bride was recently filmed at Castle Cove Beach but a series of unfortunate incidents culminating in a shower of ‘glitter confetti’ as the happy couple tied the knot, was not a happily ever after fairy-tale for the beach. Speaking to the BBC, Renegade Pictures series producer Bob Gowing said “We apologise unreservedly for the upset we have caused to the local community, who had been so welcoming and helpful during our filming period. Renegade Pictures are committed to sustainable filming practices including reducing plastics, however, we will be thoroughly reviewing our procedures to make sure that in future, we have a clear plan in place to avoid unexpected environmental damage, as that seems to have caught us out this time.”
LFC&S helped coordinate the clear up and subsequent beach inspections with the Portland Port Authority, Dorset Wildlife Trust and the Friends of Castle Cove Beach, and the production company kept their word; paid for a beach clean and came down themselves from London to help! LFC&S has suggested that Renegade might wish to add an addendum to their filming policy re plastics, and have sent information about sourcing sustainable alternatives to glitter confetti.

Beach Cleans

The LFC&S team have been busy coordinating beach cleans up and down the coast with our beach clean partners and volunteers from Highcliffe to Lyme Regis and working with; UK D-Zero class sailing, the Royal Yachting Association, Teachers Building Society, schools and colleges. We also get lots of enquiries about how to arrange beach cleans, so our step by step guide makes it as easy as A B Sea!

‘The Mary Dwen’ Trommel Launch

A trommel which was funded by the Highstreet clean up fund was unveiled on Swanage Beach recently. The beach cleaning device which will be used to remove nurdles was named after local lady Mary who has spent thousands of hours sifting nurdles from the sands of Swanage beach. The Trommel will be used by Litter Free Coast & Sea’s Beach Clean Volunteer groups; this launch was in partnership with Litter Free Dorset.

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