Disappointingly the proposal for a procession on 1st November was not selected for funding this year. Instead, an event is being planned for 2026 which will reveal the carved Gatekeeper Stone and unveil the Brunsden geomorphology stone in partnership with Dorset Coast Forum who are funding the carved lettering celebrating the World Heritage Coast.
Dorset Council is match-funding the Gatekeeper Trust’s contribution to create an outdoor learning space adjacent to the Gatekeeper Stone, making this an important portal into the quarry landscape and the green corridor descending through time. This will encourage visitors to spend time here to learn from and be inspired by the land and its deep wisdom.
The carving of the Gatekeeper butterfly onto the Gatekeeper Stone has commenced and Hannah Sofaer and the Portland Sculpture & Quarry Trust will complete this carving during October. The butterfly is settled on the edge of the stone, facing the rising sun, waiting to take flight.
Angela Shaw – Gatekeeper Trustee