Sir David Attenborough’s last ever location shot, filmed at Studland and Old Harry rocks in Dorset, for the documentary Ocean, will be used as a call to action by Planet Purbeck and Greenpeace.
Their joint event, Protecting Our Oceans, will be held at the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Swanage on Friday 19th September 2025, to explore the challenges, and threats facing our beautiful seas.
Emmanuel Baptist Church, Swanage, will host the Planet Purbeck and Greenpeace event Protecting Our Oceans
Scenes filmed near Swanage
But a week before the meeting, the Discovery Channel film Ocean, narrated and presented by Sir David Attenborough, is being shown at The Mowlem on Friday 12th September 2025.
The opening and closing scenes were filmed in 2024 near Swanage in what Sir David said would be his last location shot when the documentary was given a worldwide release on his 99th birthday, in May 2025.
Standing on the beach at Shell Bay in Studland, and next to Old Harry rocks, he reminisces on his time on Earth and how he first viewed the sea as a vast wilderness to be tamed and mastered for the benefit of humanity.
Looking out at Old Harry rocks, Sir David contemplates the future of our seas
“If we save the sea, we save the world”
Sir David Attenborough said:
“Now, as I approach the end of my life, we know the opposite is true. After living for nearly 100 years on this planet, I now understand that the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea.
“My lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery. Over the last hundred years, scientists and explorers have revealed remarkable new species, epic migrations and dazzling, complex ecosystems beyond anything I could have imagined as a young man.
“In this film, we share some of those wonderful discoveries, uncover why our ocean is in such poor health, and, perhaps most importantly, show how it can be restored to health.
“Today, it is in such poor health I would find it hard not to lose hope were it not for the most remarkable discovery of all – if we save the sea, we save our world. After a lifetime of filming our planet, I’m sure nothing is more important.”
Chair of Planet Purbeck, Doug Skinner, says the film is essential viewing for everyone
“I had tears in my eyes”
Planet Purbeck chair and Greenpeace spokesperson for Dorset, Doug Skinner, said the film was essential viewing for everyone and hopes it can be used as a springboard for their Swanage event, Protecting Our Oceans.
Doug Skinner said:
“Sir David’s film shows such appalling damage to the ocean that I had tears in my eyes while I was watching it, but our evening meeting will show what we can all do about it.
“It is so important to me as we live near the coast – sea temperatures are rising, sea levels are rising, the sea is getting more acidic and we have supertrawlers going past here decimating our local fish populations.
“Although the film is optimistic at the end, it also shows a lot of the damage that is being done to our oceans and is quite shocking in many ways – although as always with Attenborough films, the cinematography is absolutely amazing.
“If you see a film like Ocean you can feel very frustrated – even if we try our best to recycle, and drive electric cars, you can still feel there is little you can achieve as an individual.
“But groups like Greenpeace and Planet Purbeck can be your voice with our government, even with the United Nations, and can make you feel a bit less impotent.”
Planet Purbeck wants all local children to experience the joys of rockpooling
“Have a nature experience”
Doug added:
“Our event, Protecting the Oceans, follows the theme of some of the damage that has been done out there.
“The evening will start off with some of the science that Greenpeace is doing in Antarctica and we will also talk briefly about the Ocean Treaty, where the United Nations is trying to get 61 countries signed up to safeguard 30 percent of the seas as marine protected areas.
“We have our own version of David Attenborough, Dr Owen Exeter from Exeter University, who has filmed some of the almost untouched marine ecosystems around the Scilly Isles, to show what wonderful places our seas can be.
“And there will also be a presentation from Planet Purbeck to show everything we are doing here to get more local children involved in wildlife experiences, from growing their own plants to rockpooling by the coast.
“We want all Purbeck children to have a nature experience with the idea that once they understand nature they will get to love it, and then they will want to protect it.”
Planet Purbeck will take over Shore Road for its Discovery Fest event this year
Discovery Fest takes over Shore Road
Planet Purbeck will also set Swanage seafront buzzing with music and activities from 10 am to 3 pm on Saturday 20th September 2025, when Discovery Fest takes over Shore Road for a free, family friendly celebration of Purbeck’s coast, countryside and community.
The event is being run as part of the group’s autumn series, previously known as wild weekends, and includes live music all day, guided walks of the Jurassic Coast complete with dinosaur footprint discoveries, and interactive science and coastal discovery activities.
Wildlife organisations such as Dorset Wildlife Trust and Amphibian and Reptile Conservation will be among more than 30 groups with stalls along the seafront.
Sustainable Swanage, Sustainable Wareham and the Swanage and Purbeck Repair Cafe will be giving advice on how to repair, recycle and reuse, while other groups will focus on outdoor adventures, wellbeing and heritage.
Sir Mark Rylance, Planet Purbeck patron, will auction off a portrait of himself as Thomas Cromwell
“Lift the whole system into a better place”
And on Saturday 11th October 2025, Oscar winning actor Sir Mark Rylance and The Guardian newspaper journalist George Monbiot are hosting a special fundraising event for Planet Purbeck, to showcase how local communities like Purbeck can influence national and global progress.
Sir Mark Rylance, patron of Planet Purbeck, will also auction a signed photographic portrait of himself as Thomas Cromwell from the BBC’s acclaimed Tudor drama Wolf Hall.
Sir Mark Rylance said:
“There is a desire to build up a group of people interested in similar things such as nature conservation and climate change so there is a place they can come with concerns and make a difference with ideas and action.
“I believe in thinking internationally but acting locally. If you change a small or local thing well enough it will affect the rest. We can lift the whole system into a better place of harmony and equilibrium.”
Ocean, starring Sir David Attenborough, will be shown at The Mowlem
Watch the official trailer for Ocean
Further information
- All Planet Purbeck’s events are detailed on its website
- Tickets are available for Ocean, 7.30 pm on Friday 12th September 2025 at The Mowlem
