Local MP visits Tumbledown community space

Richard Drax, MP for South Dorset, visited Weymouth Town Council’s Tumbledown project to see how the site is being transformed into a community asset.

The MP was joined by Cllr Jon Orrell, Chair of the Tumbledown Project Board, and officers from the town council who gave him a tour of the facilities.

The plans include transforming 27 acres of former farmland into a community space for growing food and plants, along with a longer-term plan to provide a veg box scheme. Educational and therapeutic spaces will also be developed for use by a range of community groups to support vulnerable people, schools, colleges, and members of the public.

Richard Drax MP said: “I was inspired during my visit by the vision and dedication shown by those promoting this fantastic project. It’s a very appropriate use of the site and I wish Tumbledown well. The aim is spot on and will provide a most valuable outdoor space for the clients that it is intended for. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the bid to the Community Renewal Fund is successful.”

Cllr Jon Orrell added: “We were delighted to welcome Richard Drax MP to the project site so that he could learn about our bold plans for Tumbledown and see the fantastic progress that is being made on the ground.

“We’re so excited about the benefits this project offers to people living in and around Weymouth – we want Tumbledown to be a versatile space that connects people with a safe and inspirational place where their needs can be met. The Forest School is already proving to be a popular resource, as are the community grow spaces. We also have lots of volunteers getting stuck in to tasks like digging pathways to make the site accessible, so it really is a fantastic community asset to have on our doorstep.”

The Tumbledown Project Board recently applied for funding of more than £300,000 from the Community Renewal Fund, which the Dorset MP said he fully supported.

If successful, the money would help to increase the number of vulnerable people who would benefit from being at Tumbledown and learning new skills in a healthy outdoor environment. The council is hoping to hear soon whether Tumbledown has been selected.

To find out more about the project, volunteering opportunities and to sign up for updates about Tumbledown community space, please click here.