Donation for Seaton Wetlands

Trustees of Seaton Visitor Centre have decided to donate the Trust’s remaining funds to Seaton Wetlands in order for the site to continue the Trust’s dedication to education following their closure.

Seaton Visitor Centre Trust have long been dedicated to helping to increase learning opportunities for young people and between 2001 and 2015, created a campaign to establish a visitor centre in Seaton to provide educational facilities focusing on the Jurassic coastline. Through collaboration with various local bodies, they raised £4.2 million and the centre was opened by Princess Anne in 2016.

Following the closure of the centre in 2021 and now the closure of the Trust, it has been agreed that the remaining funds should be donated to Seaton Wetlands. This funding will enable the Wetlands to subsidise school visits and the provision of educational tools. This is alongside the news that Seaton Tramway will be reopening Seaton Jurassic as the Jurassic Discovery Centre in the spring, which will feature state-of-the-art exhibits and an immersive dinosaur experience.

Speaking about Trust’s closure to reporters, Chair of Seaton Visitor Centre Trust, Bernard Dunford, said: “I would like to thank all of our supporters and volunteers for the wonderful help we received at SVCT. The Trustees have agreed that now is the right time for SVCT to close, as the centre has new owners.

“Throughout the 20 years of the Trust, we have enjoyed fantastic local support to deliver our goals of educating people about the history and the environmental story of the Axe Valley and the Jurassic Coast.

“We are delighted that Seaton Tramway will be able to continue the work we started all those years ago and we wish them every success.”

Cllr Geoff Jung, East Devon District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Coast, Country and Environment, thanked the Trust for their donation, he said: “on behalf of Seaton Wetlands, I would like to say a very big thank you to the SVCT for the donation. This money will enable children from local schools to visit and learn about the wildlife. We also plan to install more bird boxes and webcams, which are a real hit with visitors.”