THOUSANDS of young people will be educated about the ocean thanks to a new partnership between a Dorset marina and a marathon swimmer.

Portland Marina, run by Boatfolk, has announced that it has teamed up with the Dorset charity Clean Jurassic Coast (CJC) and Chloë McCardel, an Australian swimmer who holds multiple world records.

Ms McCardel, 29, also owns the swim support vessel, Channel Queen, which is berthed on the isle of Portland.

The new partnership between the three will enable young people to be taught about the importance of our waters and marine life.

The educational sessions will be a mixture of classroom-based activities onboard Channel Queen as well as interactive activities such as beach cleaning, exploring and learning about the effect of plastic waste.

Sessions will also include learning about the rich geological and fossil history of the Jurassic Coast.

Marina manager, Paul Swain, said: "We're continuously working towards improving the health of the marine environment in our local area and along the Jurassic Coast.

"This education program means we can reach many more young people and multiply the positive impact in our local area. 

"We are also proud to be associated with Chloë McCardel. Her achievements in the world of long-distance swimming are inspirational and she's a fantastic role model.

"Channel Queen was also berthed with us under the previous owner so it's great to have her back at Portland and to be used for such a great purpose."

Clean Jurassic Coast was founded in 2020 by Roy Beal, bringing individual beach cleaners together to expand their reach.

It has a diverse team of volunteers who can help educate and show how important the Jurassic Coast is to youngsters.

"The team is very excited to be able to expand our conservation work to include formal educational awareness into our mix of activities. We feel very privileged to have the ongoing support of Portland Marina and we are also very grateful to Chloë," Mr Beal said.

Ms McCardel purchased Channel Queen in 2022 with the aim of providing events to swimmers looking for an open water experience.

She said: “The English Channel is my spiritual home and I have been drawn to these shores for the last 15 years.

"I am thrilled to be able to share the joy and connection I have with these waters with future generations whilst also contributing to a major conservation and environmental initiative along the iconic and magical World Heritage Jurassic Coast.

"I am very impressed by Portland Marina’s commitment to the environment, especially their partnership to rehabilitate the seahorse community, via the eco moorings project in the Studland area.

"It feels great to be able to give back to these waters which have given so much to me.”