The life of a campaigner and controversial figure is told in a new exhibition which marks the culmination of a community project funded by a £7,000 lottery grant.

Dorset theatre company AsOne was awarded funding to bring the story of women's rights campaigner and birth control pioneer Marie Stopes to the stage.

The funding helped members research, write and produce an original play, ‘Escaping the Storm’, about her life on Portland which she fled to as a retreat.

The scientist bought the Old Higher Lighthouse in 1923 and she later founded the Portland Museum. She continued to visit the island up until 1957, the year before she died.

The play, which toured the region, was interwoven with film and as part of the podcasts were also being made.

With the production now at an end, an exhibition on the life of Marie Stopes can now be seen at Portland museum. The museum exhibition was opened by Portland Mayor Sue Cocking.

A commemorative bronze plaque was unveiled and the Escaping the Storm Project Book, including Peter John Cooper’s script, interview recordings, and the heritage trail map were presented to the museum by the theatre company as archive of the project.

The new display, and exciting additional exhibits, were made possible as a result of £7,000 Heritage Lottery funding awarded to AsOne.

Jane McKell the Artistic Director of AsOne Theatre Company said: “I have enjoyed this inspirational project. Interviewing those connected to Marie Stopes, a privilege - her dedicated driver Doug Smith at 94 fascinating; owner of the Higher Lighthouse, Frances Lockyer, intriguing; and the Portland Museum, a treasure trove.

"The fact Marie Stopes was so complex made the writing no easy task. Peter’s fearless ensemble piece for AsOne gave four actors a myriad of characters in a thought-provoking piece of storytelling."

She added: "Escaping the Storm finds Marie Stopes on Portland - fossil hunting, skinny dipping, mingling with locals; interwoven by her Catholic church London court battles; and the actors include the audience debating Marie Stopes. The isolated Portland community was shocked to find ‘the notorious sex campaigner’ Marie Stopes amongst them; a collision of class and culture.

"Marie Stopes grew to love Portland, its rugged environment, the quarries, and the fossil ferns she was so knowledgeable about. Her ashes were scattered from Pulpit Rock at her request by her son."

During the project students of the Atlantic Academy enjoyed a performance, workshops in dance, drama, and learned how to make podcast video recordings with film-maker Andy Worth and Ms McKell.

The play’s development was funded by Arts Council England, and the subsequent 23 date tour of ‘Escaping the Storm’ enjoyed positive feedback from theatre audiences. AsOne players also visited a number of Dorset schools with its aim of bringing free theatre to young people.

Visitors to Portland Museum now walk in Marie Stopes’ island footsteps with the new heritage trail; listen to the recordings of those who knew her; or just admire the breadth of her work.

The exhibition is open at the Portland Museum seven days a week in the summer months from 10.30am-4pm.