The Jurassic Coast Trust funds another project along the Jurassic Coast thanks to continuing support from a number of local businesses committed to supporting the work of the Trust.

Oakdown Holiday Park is a Project Sponsor of the Trust and raises funds through its ‘Investing in the Future' scheme, which aims to help protect and conserve the stunning landscape and coastline of the World Heritage Site through projects funded by voluntary visitor donations.

The project Oakdown Holiday Park has chosen also supports ‘Sidmouth in Bloom' as it combines educating people about the Jurassic Coast with planting on the Triangle Site in the centre of Sidmouth. 

Chairman of the Jurassic Coast Trust, James Weld says "We are delighted Oakdown Holiday Park has embraced our ‘Investing in the Future' scheme through this particular project, which educates everyone about the Jurassic Coast whilst also benefitting people locally in Sidmouth. It is our first partnership project under this scheme and is an outstanding example of how partnerships can work effectively together".  

Oakdown Holiday Park is providing the funding through their sponsorship of the Trust and ‘Sidmouth in Bloom' has organised the planting. The intellectual content has been produced by the Trust, the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site Team and Sidmouth Museum. East Devon District Council has carried out the construction and will provide ongoing maintenance of the site. The Jurassic Coast Trust is the project enabler and has also provided initial funding support in order to make it happen. 

The project focuses on the East Devon part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and explains that during the Triassic period of geological time, ancient reptiles and giant amphibians lived on the banks of vast rivers in what was then a desert about 230 million years ago.

A local Metal Fabricator has created a life-size iron frame of the reptile ‘Rhynchosaurus Spenceri' which takes pride of place in the centre of the site, and has been planted with plants supplied through ‘Sidmouth in Bloom'. More information about this unusual beast and the extraordinary conditions it lived in can also be found at the Sidmouth Museum. 

Doreen Franks of Oakdown Holiday Park says "we are delighted to support the Jurassic Coast Trust and ‘Sidmouth in Bloom' in this joint project, which educates people about this particular part of the Jurassic Coast by providing them with a greater understanding of its geological significance. It is also very satisfying to know our guests recognise that such outstanding beauty and something as extraordinarily important in science terms, as the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, has to be cared for and not taken for granted."

Other businesses who support the Trust through their ‘Investing in the Future' scheme are West Dorset Leisure Holidays, Bagwell Farm Touring Park, Durdle Door Holiday Park, Swanage Railway, Chiltern Lodge B&B, Dorset Coastal Cottages, The Lookout Café at Durlston Country Park, Purbeck Ice Cream, Elworth Farm Cottages, Discover Dorset Tours, Bankes Arms, and a number of accommodation providers in Swanage.
 
If you would like to ‘Invest in the Future' please contact the Executive Officer, Nikki Greenleaf on 01460 242780 or nikki.greenleaf@jurassiccoasttrust.org