Activities

Community Consultation & Planning

The Trust has led and supported community consultation and planning initiatives since it started in 1997. Most recently, it supported the Market and Coastal Towns Initiative (MCTI) Lyme Forward which has led to the production of the Lyme Regis Community Plan . The Trust supports the implementation of the Community Plan through the network of statutory and voluntary organisations and individuals in the Local Area Partnership which is chaired by the Lyme Regis Town Council.    

Stimulating economic regeneration

Many jobs in Lyme Regis are reliant on the short summer visitor season and the Trust has been working to lengthen that visitor period by starting two festivals, the Fossil Festival  in April / May and the ArtsFest in September/October.     

Lyme Regis Fossil Festival

Situated on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, Lyme Regis is famous for its geology, fossils and unparalleled role in the birth of the earth science so in 2005 the Lyme Regis Development Trust organised the first Lyme Regis Fossil Festival.

Now in its third year of celebrating the past in ways that address contemporary natural science issues, the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival offers people of all ages and backgrounds an interactive, eclectic mix of arts and science activities.

Each year the Fossil Festival brings together teams of specialists from the Natural History Museum and other leading national scientific institutions and universities with local fossil collectors, artists and the community. The event features interactive exhibitions, fossil hunting walks and stimulating evening talks attracting over 7000 visitors each year to include over 500 students on the Schools day.

The Natural History Museum tent

In the longer term, the Trust is leading work on developing a world class Jurassic Coast Field Studies Centre. A Cultural Development Consortium has been set up to progress the development of the Malthouse at the Town Mill and will also provide support for upgrading the Marine Theatre and the extension of the Lyme Regis Museum.

Lyme Regis Museum, The Guildhall & Marine Theatre

Supporting facilities for children and young people
InSPARation Youth Cafe

This important area of the Trust’s work includes the InSPARation youth café run in conjunction with Dorset County Council Youth Service. 

Sure Start Childrens Centre

The Trust has worked with the Under 12s Forum to start a Sure Start centre based in a new building at St Michael’s primary school with land kindly provided by the Diocese of Salisbury. The centre opened in 2008.

The new Children’s Centre will be offering wrap-round childcare and Extended School programmes. This high quality 8am-6pm childcare - includes morning and afternoon pre-school, breakfast, lunch, after-school and holiday clubs – will provide holistic support for children’s development and families with young children, as well as helping to facilitate the return to work of parents. It will serve children and families in the local community and act as a focus for providing integrated care and education for young children, as well as health services and family support.

Affordable housing

The lack of affordable housing is one of the main problems facing young people and first time house buyers in Lyme Regis. Wages are 17% below the national average while house prices are some of the most expensive in the country. Through the LymeForward Housing Group, we have developed a comprehensive long-term strategy outlining the various strands needed to deliver more housing for local people in the quantities needed. Meanwhile, we have worked with local housing associations and the town and district council to facilitate more immediate delivery of units which can be built within current planning guidelines.. Magna Housing Association has recently let 10 flats in Queens Walk to local people. .

                                                Raglan's Pooles Court Development

Supporting Community Organisations
Community Players
 
The Trust has supported the Lyme Regis Community Players since it started in 2000 . The Community Players now has produced a string of successful productions and in July 2009 performed Fiddler On The Roof at the Marine Theatre.

Profits from the Community Players go to support the Trust's work with young people in the town.

  ^{The Community Players South Pacific 2008/The Sound Of Music 2004}

LymeNET

LymeNET provides high quality up-to-date ICT, math’s, English and other learning opportunities to all ages of people from the communities of West Dorset and East Devon, in a friendly and welcoming environment. We provide information, advice and guidance to help clients to achieve their goals and improve their confidence. We also offer general facilities such as fax, photocopying and internet access.

 Double Design has been set up as a trading name of LymeNET Ltd, and offers a range of services including graphic design, web design, development and content management, and technical support for homes and businesses. Graphic design services include business cards, posters, advertisements, leaflets, brochure, and can produce a complete corporate image. Its portfolio already includes the Lyme Regis ArtsFest 2007 brochure and website – which Laurence Madill has designed and maintained since its launch in 2002, the official Lyme Regis Tourism website, Lyme Regis Webcam and the Boat Building Academy .

^{Delivering projects}

^{The Trust has a proven ability to attract funding and deliver projects. Apart from the Sure Start centre, it worked with
The Town Mill  to construct a path connecting the Mill to the centre of the town.}

^{The Town Mill path under construction}

Following two years of disruption caused through the coastal protection of the town, local traders approached the Trust to ask for help in making sure people knew the town was again open as an attractive tourist destination.  In response the Trust led a project with Lyme Regis Town Council and Lyme Bay Holidays to install a Web Cam on the Historic Cobb Harbour Wall.  This has been a great success attracting online visitors from around the world.  The Trust also gave £21,000 to the Woodroffe School to help them gain Visual Arts Status.

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