Donations set to double in national campaign

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Following a competitive application process, Sussex Green Living has been selected to take part in the Big Give Earth Raise—a national match-funding campaign launching on Earth Day 22 April. 

From noon Wednesday 22 April to noon Wednesday 29 April every donation made through the campaign will be matched, meaning a £50 donation becomes £100 to support the charity’s work across Sussex. 

Run by Big Give, the campaign brings together philanthropists, foundations, and businesses to match public donations. Over the years, Big Give has raised approximately £427 million for thousands of charities. NOTE: 30th April – WE ACHIEVED OUR TARGET!

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Collaboration for Nature: Charity and Business Partnership Creates Outdoor Learning Space at Thakeham Primary School

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As part of their action for World Climate Day on 23rd March, Sussex Green Living partnered in a brand-new way with local business to extend regional nature recovery efforts. Last week proved to be a very exciting time for Thakeham Primary School, as pupils became the proud recipients of a brand-new outdoor learning area thanks to a collaboration between Sussex Green Living, local business Mountjoy, and a network of community partners working together for nature.   

The project forms part of Sussex Green Living’s Pollination Education Station (PES) Trail, an initiative designed to improve food security, support pollinators and provide accessible environmental education. The trail is supported by the charity’s Green Business Network, which enables businesses to work alongside the charity, educate their staff about sustainability and use corporate volunteering days to take meaningful action for climate and nature.  Read more

Nature is Still Sleeping

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It’s nearly Spring and our natural inclination is to clean up, tidy away and be ready for relaxing in the garden. It seems ‘natural’ to spray weeds and reach for quick-fix garden cleaners — but actually it’s not helpful to Nature! 

If we think about the hidden life that quietly depends on those fallen leaves, last season’s stems, and the “untidy” parts of our gardens, we begin to realise that what looks like mess to us is lifeline to essential organisms.  Read more

Delay your big garden tidy-up: Nature needs the mess 

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Nature is still sleeping, so the best thing you can do is sit back and relax. Delay your spring garden clean-up until temperatures are consistently above 10°C for at least a week—often late April or when apple trees bloom. Top tips for an untidy garden and its benefits:

  • Wait and Observe: Let the garden “sleep in” to support local ecology. 
  • Protect Pollinators: Many butterflies, bees, and beneficial insects overwinter in dead, hollowed-out plant stems and fallen leaves. 
  • Delay Lawn Care: Avoid mowing, walking on the lawn or wet spring soil to prevent damaging its structure. Soil compaction restricts air and water movement, leading to poor drainage, waterlogging, and limited root growth. It is better to wait until the soil is dry enough to not form a ball in your hand.  

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How Sussex Golf Courses are Embracing Eco-Friendly Practices

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The stunning Sussex coastline and rolling downs provide a unique setting for the region’s golf courses. As environmental awareness grows and climate challenges intensify, these courses recognise that sustainability is essential for their future.  

Sussex is an environmentally sensitive region, with unique coastal ecosystems, ancient woodlands, and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Careful stewardship is essential to maintain the county’s biodiversity, particularly as many courses operate within landscapes of national significance. Sustainability also ensures long-term viability, addressing the sport’s ecological impact. As the team at Golf Swing Systems highlights, “with sprawling golf links courses that require significant resources to maintain, it’s natural to question the sport’s ecological impact”. Adopting green practices today better positions courses to handle high energy costs, water restrictions, and stricter environmental regulations. 
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Arundel wetlands Centre – Communicating the Message of Nature

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Darren Cool – 07792308722 – www.dcoolimages.com

“The most effective way to save the threatened and decimated natural world is to cause people to fall in love with it again-with its beauty and its reality” This was the vision of Sir Peter Scott, the tireless broadcaster and naturalist who established the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. We visited the WWT’s Arundel Wetland Centre in the year of its 50th anniversary, the WWT’s 80th, just before World Wetlands Day on 2 February, to investigate his legacy.  

We started our morning by meeting Marketing and Communications Manager Pat Warren and Reserve manager Suzi Lanaway in the impressive Visitors Centre. It’s a bright open space with huge picture windows looking out over a large lake bustling with all kinds of water birds such as geese, ducks and teals. As we sipped our coffee and talked, we couldn’t fail to notice the occasional blue flash of a kingfisher darting to the water a few feet from where we sat.  Read more

Birds in February: Challenges, Hope, and the Actions Homeowners Can Take

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February is a pivotal month for the UK’s garden birds. As winter tightens its grip and natural food sources run low, feathered visitors depend more than ever on the habitats and help we provide. And while the joy of watching birds brighten our gardens remains undiminished, the latest Big Garden Birdwatch reminds us that the broader picture is cause for concern. 

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Small but Mighty: Our Charity’s Ripple Effect Across Sussex in 2025

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Small but Mighty: Our Charity’s Ripple Effect Across Sussex in 2025

2025 was truly a bumper year for our small but mighty charity, one that has created powerful ripples of positive change across East and West Sussex. Guided by our three pillars – conserving resources, making food sustainable and restoring biodiversity – we’ve shown what a dedicated community can achieve with passion, collaboration and a shared vision for a greener future.

At the heart of our work is a highly effective team: seven willing trustees, several environmental educators, the equivalent of two full-time employees and a grant writer (not in a pear tree!) This brilliant team is strengthened by an incredible network of volunteers who bring our mission to life in towns, villages, schools and public spaces across Sussex.

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National Emergency Briefing held in Westminster 

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On 27 November 2025, Central Hall Westminster, London, was buzzing with an invite-only audience of around 1,250 politicians, scientists and leaders from business, culture, faith, sport and the media. Also in attendance were familiar faces like Chris Packham, Deborah Meaden, Jennifer Saunders, Mark Rylance, Brian Eno,  Roger Harrabin and four of the Sussex Green Living team.

They learnt about the latest implications for health, food, national security and the economy. They weren’t there for show. They came because the National Emergency Briefing, convened by brothers Simon and Nick Oldridge, brought together some of the UK’s most respected scientific voices to share the latest evidence on nature and climate risks — with the solutions already proving effective.

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Stress Awareness Week: finding balance through everyday choices 

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As Stress Awareness Week (3 to 7 November) begins, Sussex Green Living says concern about the environment is becoming part of the pressure many people feel in daily life. 

Many worry about our changing weather, plastic pollution, air quality and the loss of biodiversity. These concerns have become part of the background to modern living, adding to the usual stresses of work, family and finances. For some, it can feel as though the problems are too big to change. 

Sussex Green Living (SGL), a registered UK charity working with schools, community groups and businesses across West Sussex, believes that practical, positive action can make a difference. The organisation helps people find balance through small steps that connect personal wellbeing with care for the planet, from spending more time in nature and noticing wildlife in local green spaces to reducing waste or making conscious choices about what and where we buy our food. 

 

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