Welcome to Elaine! We’re pleased to introduce Elaine Snow, our newest addition to the DCF team! Elaine has joined us this month as a Project Officer, focusing on projects in the Studland area. With her extensive background in delivering partnership projects across destination management, the charities sector, and events, Elaine brings a wealth of experience to our team. Check out our news updates for more details on the projects Elaine will be supporting.
Denys Brunsden(1936-2024) We would like to thank our members for your kind and thoughtful emails in response to the sad news reporting the passing of Denys Brunsden, who was one of the DCF co-founders in 1994. Our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with Denys’s wife, family and friends.
It is with great sadness that we must report the death of Denys Brunsden who was one of the co-founders of the Dorset Coast Forum in 1994 and became the very first Chairperson, a role he maintained for some 12 years.
It was during this exciting period that Denys steered the young Forum towards an application for world heritage status for the Dorset and East Devon Coastlines. The apocryphal story says that he and others, were having a drink in a local pub when Denys suggested that the adjacent coastline was so important geologically and geomorphologically, that is deserved to be recognised and elevated on to the world stage…. and hence the seven-year journey towards receiving that accolade. Denys remained a Patron of the Jurassic Coast Trust until the very end of his life.
It is also worth conjecturing that the recognition now given to Mary Anning as the ‘Mother of Palaentology’ would not have happened without the world heritage status accolade (conceived by Denys) and that her contribution to world science would have remained in obscurity.
His knowledge and expertise in the field was second to none and his willingness to support others, especially students and those developing their skills and craft were well known and a further testament is that many of his former students now hold positions of importance in the field of geology and the associated sciences.
The structure and composition of the Dorset Coast Forum may have evolved over the past 30 years but the ethos of respecting and caring for the Dorset coast, that formed the basis to build upon that Denys gave us has certainly not changed.
Welcome to Dorset Coast Forum’s May 2023 eNews update. If you have information to share, or wish to unsubscribe, please email dorset.coast@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk.
In April 2023 we welcomed Rachael Boughton to the DCF team whose previous experience comes with financial management in the hospitality industry. Rachael is passionate about the coast having previously organised paddle board litter picks, posts videos on the benefits of sea swimming and has written a book of poems, Seas the Day, on connection to the sea and well-being.
Welcome to Dorset Coast Forum’s July 2023 eNews update. If you have information to share, or wish to unsubscribe, please email dorset.coast@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk.
DCF Annual Conference, 27th September- Book your place!
The DCF Annual Conference 2023, aimed at DCF members, will take place on Bournemouth’s beautiful seafront at the Marsham Court Hotel. Themes include nature recovery, a Local Nature Recovery Strategy Workshop, coastal developments, storm overflows and water quality. Plus, plenty of networking opportunities, information stalls and buffet lunch. Agenda and list of speakers to be shared over the coming weeks. Last year’s event was well attended, so don’t delay, Book your place HERE!
Dorset Coast Strategy Members Workshop 17th July 6pm to 7.30pmHave your Say! DCF members are invited to an online engagement workshop to discuss and give feedback on the new Dorset Coast strategy. The aim of the strategy is to support the work of our members, promote sustainable coastal management and help identify and strengthen partnership working. A final draft will also be shared with members for further feedback and we hope to launch the final strategy at the DCF Conference. We only have a few places left – book your place now!
Meet Izzy, our new team member!We have recently welcomed Izzy Kelsall to the DCF team as our Admin Assistant. Izzy has worked within creative industries and in operational and support roles over the last 15 years. After a few years of living in Valencia, Izzy and her husband moved to raise their young family in Dorset. She loves exploring the Dorset coast, fossil hunting with her kids and taking a dip in the sea.
Recognition of DCF and our partners
Weymouth Flood Householder Guide highly commended at the Flood & Coast Conference 2023 Exciting news! DCF were Highly Commended at the Flood and Coast Excellence Awards 2023 for the BRIC householder guide to flooding for Melcombe Regis, Weymouth. Congratulations to DCF’s Dan Williams who produced the guide, based on community feedback and working with BRIC partners.
Studland Bay Marine Partnership – Eco-Mooring Project Exciting national coverage for the eco-mooring project on BBC’s Springwatch has been a real awareness boost for informing boat owners and other visitors to Studland Bay on the importance of protecting this vital seagrass habitat. A huge thank-you to the Springwatch team for helping to spread the word.
