There are many groups in and around Seaford doing great work caring for the environment.
Please contact hello@seafuture.org to tell us about your group or project
Beachy Head and Seven Sisters Extreme Plastic Objects Removal
clearing this iconic coastline from 50 years of buildup of plastic, synthetic trash and garbage between Eastbourne and Cuckmere Haven.
Sign up on the website to find out where Norm will be beach cleaning and raising awareness. Come and join in and meet a mermaid made from waste, created by Jewl.
Website: https://www.bhassexplore.com/about
The Climate Action Forum for Lewes District is being launched in October 2020 with support from Lewes District Council as part of its response to the climate emergency. It is co-ordinated by 3VA and the Sustainable Business Partnership CIC.
The forum aims to:
We want to provide an opportunity to give voice to, support and develop projects and solutions that lie within our local communities. We recognise that many other organisations and projects are going on already. This forum is created to maximise opportunities for community voice and new collaborative action and we are clear we will not be duplicating what is already there!
We hope people from all parts of our community including local residents, parish and town councils, voluntary & community organisations, businesses, educational establishments, nature groups, and bodies with an interest in agriculture food, health and transport will all feel included and want to get involved. This includes a specific focus on involving and hearing from local young people.
Website: https://climateactionforum.org.uk/
Our school’s World Culture and Eco Club (which we are members of) are trying our best not to pollute the planet nor hurt wildlife. We have members from almost every year group who meet weekly (pre-COVID) to learn about the world and how to help it.
We are really happy we were awarded the Green Flag last year, and have been working hard towards our renewal. We make eco bricks from used plastic from around the school and we will use them to build a planter for the school garden. We do litter picks every week to keep our school grounds green. We love teaching others about how to help the environment. We would love for the world to eventually be plastic-free, and have been working closely with Plastic-Free Seaford to help this happen.
In June, we will finally get to start our Wild Beach lessons which we’re really excited about, because we get to learn how to help the oceans and rock pool habitats by travelling down to the beach. We are a Walk on Wednesday school, which encourages everyone to find a green way to travel to school by earning badges made from recycled yogurt pots each month. We have also started working with Sustrans charity to monitor the air quality around our school and plan ways to improve it for us all. We hope everyone reading this thinks the same about helping the environment!
Odri and Aimee-Grace Year 5
Cradle Hill CP School
We are a group of local folk from The Cuckmere Valley in East Sussex, excited by the ideas and actions arising from Transition Initiatives world wide.
Our aim is to find inspirational and accessible ways of increasing resilience amongst our community, in the face of Climate Change and Cheap Oil.
The inaugural meeting of Cycle Seahaven was held on 13th January 2009 at The Wellington, Seaford, attended by around 35 enthusiastic people who formed a committee and off we went! The club has gone from strength to strength ever since.
Our aim then, as now, was simply to get people onto their bikes. We are an inclusive club, seeking to encourage people of all ages, abilities and cycling interests to do more cycling and share the enjoyment of cycling with other people living in the Seaford, Newhaven, Peacehaven and surrounding areas.
Rides
Cycle Seahaven organises rides for MTB riders and road riders of many levels of fitness and experience. We have devised a grading system to enable members to determine if a particular ride is for them.
Campaigns
Cycle Seahaven actively campaigns to bring about improvements to access and facilities for cyclists in the Seahaven area. We have established excellent links to many organisations including: Forestry Commission; South Downs National Park Authority; Sustrans; National Trust; Cycle Touring Club; East Sussex County Council; Lewes District Council; Seaford Town Council; local Police; parish councils and other cycling groups in East Sussex.
Website: https://cycleseahaven.org.uk/
In the late 1970’s East Blatchington was designated as a Conservation.Area. Local people thought it would be a good time to restore the pond at the bottom of Blatchington Hill. The Pond is owned by the Council, but after consultation it was considered the job required considerable expenditure, and was not a feasible proposition. Undaunted, the residents held a Public Meeting and money was raised for the work. A Committee was formed under the Chairmanship of the late Mrs Madge Lewis.
Today the Pond is managed by a Committee of local people, supported by our Town Council. Our website, eastblatchingtonpond.org (Seaford Groups / Associations / E B Pond) to see a history of the Pond and its restoration. Volunteers meet weekly for maintenance; the Council cut the grass and undertake any necessary work to the trees surrounding the pond. We are financed by subscriptions and donations, and publish an Annual Newsletter.
Website: https://eastblatchingtonpond.org/
Extinction Rebellion is a non-violent direct action movement demanding urgent action in the face of an unprecedented global emergency. Life on Earth is in crisis as we have entered a period of abrupt climate breakdown, and we are in the midst of a mass extinction of our own making. We must act now whilst we still can.
We are an ever-growing group of like-minded people from all walks of life, determined to make a stand on climate change and biodiversity loss.
Extinction Rebellion has national groups all over the world. In the UK, regional groups now exist in nearly every city. These groups are autonomous, so they take on their own actions, as well as participating in larger national actions. Contact the Seahaven group through the XR Lewes website.
Website: http://xrlewes.org/
The Friends of the Bishopstone Station are dedicated to preserving this lovely Art Deco building and creating a community hub for Bishopstone Residents and surrounding communities to enjoy.
The Old Brickfield occupies a former tidal inlet and contains a number of rare national habitats and species including vegetated shingle and remnant salt marsh. This community group is devoted to the protection of the site.
The Old Brickfield is situated at the western edge of Seaford. It occupies a former tidal inlet and had an industrial past when clay for brick making was extracted from the site. Today it provides interesting habitats for many different species of animal, insects and vegetation. and has been designated a site of nature conservation interest (SNCI).
The site is owned and managed by Lewes District Council in partnership with the Friends of the Old Brickfield Group. The aims are to maintain and enhance the habitats on the site.
If you would like to find out more, or get involved in looking after the site, please contact Lewes District Council’s community ranger on 01273 484344 or by email at thyone.outram@llewes.gov.uk
Lewes Climate Hub is an alliance of local environmental and community groups. We aim to provide a central information and networking point on all climate and environment-related projects, events and activities happening in and around Lewes. This includes practical advice on activities from home retrofitting to improving energy efficiency and biodiversity, and also building resilience in the face of global warming. We warmly welcome any Lewes group that would like to join our alliance, including groups not directly involved in environmental activities but that are concerned about climate change.
Website: https://www.lewesclimatehub.org
Through our Climate Emergency Declarations we are committed to progressing towards our 2030 carbon reduction targets, and to improving our environment in partnership with our communities.
Visit this page for information on current actions and future updates. We cannot decarbonise and tackle the big environmental issues without you!
Website: https://www.lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/community/climate-change/
We are a group for the community of Seaford, to motivate and educate all on how we can combat the disposable plastics epidemic blighting our coastlines and every beach in the world.
We’re a community campaign tackling single-use plastic from beaches & green spaces all the way back to the brands and businesses who create it. We are part of a network of 731 communities across the UK who are leading the way to tackle throw away plastic at source. We love where we live and we know you all do too!
Website: http://plasticfreeseaford.co.uk/
Refill Seaford and Newhaven is a member of the National Refill Scheme set up by CIty to Sea.
We aim to change people’s hearts and minds about buying water in plastic bottles. We want to rid the environment of the single use plastic bottle litter menace and encourage those who drink water on the go to get a refillable bottle. We encourage businesses to join the Refill scheme so that anyone can use the Refill App to find out where they can Refill for free. We also encourage anyone who wants to set up a water point or fountain in the environment and can offer national guidance for parks etc. Last year we launched the 50 Water fountains challenge with the aim of having 50 fountains in each District. We are a long way from that in Lewes District but some progress is being made as we finally see the 3 which we campaigned to be installed on Seaford prom get installed very soon. Our last Young Mayor also fund raised for another fountain in the town centre.
Before lockdown plans were under way for Refill to start logging premises on the app where anything could be refilled from washing up liquid to dry goods as well as officially going international. We are confident that this will all be done I the not too distant future.
Please don’t forget you can download the Refill app to get the location maps to find Refill points ( https://www.refill.org.uk/get-the-refill-app/ ) and also register your business and others if you have their permission.
Facebook: Refill Seaford and Newhaven
Twitter: @refillsn
Instagram: @refillsn
Seaford Community Cinema is a volunteer run, not-for-profit organisation that relies on a team of volunteers and your ongoing support to maintain a diverse and exciting programme.
In 2011 we received an Awards For All Lottery Grant which enabled us to meet the initial costs for publicity and insurance.
The running of the cinema is funded entirely by ticket sales and membership subscriptions to support the programme of events, website and equipment.
Our programme consists of Friday evening screenings, Saturday matinees, special events and National Theatre LIVE and Encore screenings.
Website: http://www.seafordcinema.org/
Seaford Community Garden is cared for by a group of volunteers who welcome everybody and strive to make the garden accessible to all.
Work may involve tending flower beds, planting vegetables, propagating plants, potting up bulbs, manning the sales table, tending the wildlife pond, building nest boxes or putting the kettle on.Seaford Community Garden is cared for by a group of volunteers who welcome everybody and strive to make the garden accessible to all.
Volunteers are free to put in as much work as desired on any Wednesday morning throughout the year and on Saturday mornings too in the harvest season.
At any one time the group may include students, wheelchair users, those with learning difficulties and retired people all with or without horticultural experience.
Our opening times are 10am-12pm Wednesdays and during the school summer holidays we’re also open at the same times on Saturday Mornings.
You can find further information and contact details on our Facebook page, or our website, under Seaford Community Garden.
Seaford Community Partnership is a voluntary organisation which seeks to facilitate improvements to the town’s environment and the experience of both residents and visitors.
S.C.P. co-ordinates with the Town administration, which has provided invaluable support for our activities. Our biggest project, so far, was the creation of The Shoal, at Splash Point. We have also improved the Beach Garden by painting the seats and created a children’s play area on the beach.
We are part of the team seeking to improve access and enhancement to the facilities on the seafront and are keen to help local businesses by creating ways to encourage those who come to Seaford seafront to also visit our retail area.
Sussex Contemporary Illustrators & Printmakers (SCIP) is a collective of creative minds. Professionally working in the arts for over 15 years, we have now come together to bring a unique style of art experiences to Seaford, and the whole of Sussex.
Website: https://www.wearescip.co.uk/
We are an environmental club based at Seaford Head School’s upper site. We aim to tackle a range of issues from energy use to waste disposal to help our school become environmentally friendly.
What we do
We identify environmental issues in our school and work together to solve them. This involves campaigning for change internally, working with local authorities, and talking with outside organisations.
Our goals
To eliminate single use plastics: To stop the use of single use plastics in our school wherever possible. This includes conversing with our food suppliers to help reduce the plastics they use, so will also impact the other organisations they supply.
To use less fossil fuels: To implement strategies to use less energy, and to replace fossil fuels with energy from renewable sources.
To recycle more: We are currently working to ensure recycling is collected from all sites and will continue to increase recycling across the sites through educating students about sorting their rubbish. We also aim to help the wider community to recycle more by giving talks at other schools in the area.
To support others: We are open to all students who have ideas concerning the environment as well as suggestions from outside our organisation. We love to collaborate with others and offer help to people with environmental goals.
A success story
One of our recent goals was to ensure recycling continued at Seaford Head Lower School. After lots of hard work, their environmental team had secured recycling collections from Lewes District Council. This was a very important step. However, the recycling bins became contaminated with unrecyclable waste, and the council notified the school that if this occurred on the next collection day, they would no longer be able to collect the recycling. With just three days to fix the problem, we gathered a team to sort the bins. By working before school and during every break, our group managed to sort all the recycling bins on the site. As a result, lower school has been able to continue recycling!
Being part of an Eco Team at school is amazing as we learn more about the troubling issues to do with our planet and are also able to contribute, trying to make our school as good as it can be.
We meet regularly and discuss different problems that are affecting our planet. We are then able to narrow it down into smaller issues contributing to the main problem. From there, we do what we can to make our school an eco-friendly place.
Some main problems we have looked at are plastic usage and global warming, very closely related. Linking this to the school, we began to create a petition to stop so much plastic being used in the food hall. We also tried to stop so many disposable objects being used and coming up with alternatives. For things that had to stay disposable we tried to keep recyclable and make sure the recycling bins only contained recyclable rubbish. This would mean that rubbish is reduced, and less plastic would be used.
We are also trying to get solar panels for the school and to raise money to give to charities that help the environment. We will continue to do what we can to make our school an eco-friendly place.
Seaford Martello WI is a community based women’s organisation. We meet on the 2nd Thursday of the month at St Leonards Church Hall, Seaford at 7 30pm. In addition to our meetings, we have regular meetups for morning coffee, afternoon tea, lunch and walks.
Members of the WI have volunteered to act as a Climate Ambassador for their branch. Being a Climate Ambassador is what you make it. There are no formal time commitments, and the scheme is designed to fit around your existing schedule. The aim of the scheme is to provide further support for WI members who would like to take local community action on environmental matters.
When WI members register as a Climate Ambassador, they are provided with a range of helpful resources including a climate communication guide produced in conjunction with the climate communication organisation Climate Outreach, a monthly climate newsletter, and access to training webinars and events.
Our school’s Eco Club, which I am a member of, is trying to help our school achieve the Green Flag award. We have been going around the school looking at meters and have been working on our application for the award. Once we have achieved the green flag, we will be allowed to put a green flag on the school’s roof and that will be a big achievement for us.
We also have been working on being able to recycle a lot more in our school. We have also been working on getting our school a compost heap and we have been collecting the parents and the childrens’ rubbish so it can be properly recycled.
We have written to our milk supplier to ask for our milk to be sent to us in big cartons rather than every single child in Reception getting their own milk carton at our first break-time. They are now sending large plastic bottles which can be recycled.
Mr Grounds has been working hard to make sure energy, water and other resources are not wasted in the school.
William McFarlane
Year Five student in Seaford Primary School
We were set up in 2010 by a group of like-minded women who enjoyed getting together and sharing skills. Since then we have grown to a very large group with a waiting list, celebrating our 10th anniversary earlier this year.
As well as making friends, having a cuppa and a piece of cake we’ve enjoyed all sorts of activities from circus skills, bread making, upcycling, clothes swapping, natural face scrubs, cocktail making to quiz nights, charity fundraisers, salsa dancing and kitchen utensil percussion! We meet on the 4th Tues of every month at the WI Hall on Claremont Road at 8pm.
Please contact us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SeafordSweetheartsWI or at hello@seafordsweetheartswi.com for more information.
At a meeting held in 2019, the Town Council created a Climate Change Working Party (CCWP) consisting of Town Councillors. CCWP was tasked with considering the climate change situation in Seaford and bringing forward recommendations for climate change actions/amelioration measures. CCWP presented a detailed report to a Full Council on 20th August.
The CCWP’s report recommended that the Town Council declare a Climate Emergency and highlighted key areas and ideas to support climate change in Seaford. Although the Town Council is currently unable to start any new projects until more is known about the direction of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Town Council’s recovery, the Town Council declaring a Climate Emergency is the first step towards supporting Seaford in raising awareness and making necessary changes.
As soon as it is able, the Town Council will be reviewing its Strategic Objectives which form the skeleton of the Town Council’s plans over the coming years. When declaring the Climate Emergency, the Town Council agreed to create a Climate Change specific Strategic Objective as part of this review where it hopes to include actions which will support the town in being more sustainable, environmentally aware and energy efficient.
Until then, the CCWP will continue to research and work with community groups to prepare actions for this Strategic Objective ready for consideration and adoption by the Town Council.
The Seaford Youth Forum is a group of young people who work together and meet on a weekly basis at the Mercread Youth Centre in Seaford.
We are supported by the Targeted Youth Support Service as well as the Mercread Youth Centre. We work together as a team for the best interests of Young People and Children of Seaford, we act as a forum for younger people to voice their views and make their voices heard.
The serving Young Mayor of Seaford as well as her/ his deputy are members of the group.
But membership is open to any young person within the town and we are openly recruiting.
What do we do?
Together and in partnership with other organisations and groups we have the opportunity to contribute to what happens in our own home town, Seaford. We get to work on projects which improve facilities and services for young people. As well as this we also work on our own projects.
Website: http://www.seafordyouthforum.co.uk/
Stop anywhere in the South Downs and it is hard not to find an inspiring view.
There are stunning, panoramic views to the sea and across the weald as you travel the 100 mile length of the South Downs Way from Winchester to Eastbourne, culminating in the impressive chalk cliffs at Seven Sisters.
From near and far, the South Downs is an area of inspirational beauty that can lift the soul.
Website: https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/
The South Downs National Park Trust is the official charity of the South Downs National Park. We are an independent organisation, governed by an autonomous and experienced board of trustees who oversee our work.
Website: https://www.southdownstrust.org.uk/about-south-downs/
We believe that nature is too important to lose.
We are a conservation charity for everyone who cares about nature in Sussex. We focus on protecting the wonderfully rich natural life that is found across our towns, countryside and coast.
By working alongside local people we create opportunities for us all to connect with nature, and for nature to thrive in even the most unlikely places. Together we can make sure that future generations living in Sussex will be able to enjoy the sense of wonder and well-being that nature offers.
Together we can make Sussex life richer.
What do we do?
Website: https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/
Trees for Seaford works with the Seaford community and councils to plant and care for trees in Seaford. We’re a small group of friendly and enthusiastic volunteers, of different ages and interests.
So far we’ve planted over 1,400 trees in Seaford, including around 400 street trees. With your help we can do more.
We plant trees in streets with grass verges and grassed areas such as greens, school fields, church grounds or large public gardens.