Lots of eco/green art ideas and free games which teach children to respect the waste resources and planet around them.

New art hub at the Sussex Green Hub

/in , , , , /by

New Art Hub at the Sussex Green Hub

We are excited to announce thanks to a National Lottery Community Fund grant we have launched a new activity at the Sussex Green Hub led by ‘Em Makes’ read on….

As the weather turns colder, with the first signs of snow, December is fast approaching.  Shops are filled with bright baubles and tinsel and everywhere we go, there are signs that Christmas is coming.  At each shop we are encouraged to buy this, buy that, spend more!!!

But if you, like me, would prefer to give something more special, more personal, and know that your gift has been made with something pre-loved, with a story, and possibly by your own hands at our monthly Art Hub at the Sussex Green Hub.

Here we provide a creative space where you can connect, create and make a difference by giving new life to something old.  Each last Saturday of the month (with the exception of December) we offer a wide range of resources and inspiration, and you are welcome to come and join us.  All ages are welcome at this free drop-in-event – creativity and self expression know no age limit!  You can join us for one of our workshops, bring ideas to share, or enjoy a cuppa and a cake, sit back and carry on with your own creative work.

Read more

Crafternoons in Horsham

/in , , , /by

This October Sussex Green Living will be opening the doors to something new at the Horsham Repair Café. We are calling it Crafternoons, and the idea is simple: an afternoon each month where people can sit together, bring something they are making, and enjoy a couple of hours of creativity and company. The support of the National Lottery Community Fund has made it possible to add this new strand to our work, and we are excited to see where it leads.  

Crafternoons will take place from twelve until two, alongside the usual Repair Café. The set-up is very informal. Some people might arrive with their knitting or embroidery, others with a sketchbook or some mending to do. There will be craft materials provided as well, many of them rescued or repurposed. The community café will be open for tea, coffee and cake, and the pace will be slow and sociable.   Read more

Children in brightly coloured cothes and hand-made animal costumes, reciting a play in the forest with their teacher, looked on by their parents

Animal Friends

/in , , , /by

Animal Friends: On Monday this week, I attended a wonderful open-air theatre performance in a hornbeam circle in a private woodland.
  The tree circle to create the ‘stage’ had been planted many years previously and the play wasn’t unique only in its setting- it had been crafted by the young children who performed it. They designed and produced the whole play, including recording the soundtrack. Read more

Horsham Cape of Good Hopes

/in , , /by

At Sussex Green Living we often talk about our outreach with families, in the villages, in schools and with the Youth Eco Forum.  What people may not realise is that we also run community sessions with the elderly. Morag and I went along to the Kings Court Care Home in January this year, taking the Horsham Cape of Good Hopes along with us.

What is the Cape of Good Hopes?

The Cape of Good Hopes is a collaborative community project. It consists of the construction of mini artworks created by individuals and groups to bring the community together with the common cause of celebrating nature in all its wonderous forms and acknowledge that we can’t survive without a healthy planet to support us.

Read more

Christmas wrapping

Christmas Money Saving Ideas

/in , /by

Christmas wrappingLast Christmas we bought 226,800 miles of wrapping paper, 5.3 million artificial trees, 6.8 million real trees and £42 million of unwanted toys. As we continue to tighten our belts, we look at ways to reduce the waste from Christmas so we can have a more sustainable Christmas, that costs less for the planet and for our pockets. Read more

Eco Aware Earth Day (first published in West Sussex County Times)

/in , , , , /by

The children at Ashington CE Primary School enjoyed an early Earth Green Day on Thursday 7th April 2022. The day was organised by Sienna, Magenta, Sophie and Jasmine, four passionate Eco Warriors in Year 5 supported by the school’s Outdoor Learning Lead, Miss Martlew.

The four girls had their eco passion ignited by a Rainforest topic in Year Four and ever since have eagerly encouraged others, staff included, to join them in driving for a more eco aware school, community and planet. Consequently, there was no need for the school staff to set up an eco-group; the girls would never have not let it happen!  They created their own group, with many other children eager to join in.

The Green Day started with a whole school Eco Easter bonnet parade with winners from each class receiving an eco-notebook and pen and an Easter Egg. All hats were adorned with recycled decorations and had an Easter theme. The children clung to their hats in the wind but were full of smiles of pride in the beautiful spring sunshine as they paraded, each class in turn, in front of the whole school to cheerful applause. Read more

Spring into Spring at the Sussex Green Hub

/in , , , , /by

On Saturday 26th March 10 – 4pm our normal activities will be taking place at our once a month Sussex Green Hub in Horsham plus a fun extension to help you Spring into Spring! Sunday 27th March is Mothering Sunday with Easter following along fast on its heals. so we are inviting children and adults […]

Read more
Sussex Green Hub

Sussex Green Living 2021 Roundup By Morag Warrack

/in , , , , , , /by
Read more

Bright future enjoyed by St Mary’s School

/in , , , , , , /by

Thanks to our Tesco Community Grant we were able to take our Bright New Futures Roadshow to St Mary’s CofE Primary School in Pulborough on the 22nd July . This is a large school with a new teacher leading their Eco activities.  We started the planning process with the school many months in advance, then […]

Read more

A Fairer Easter for People and Planet

/in , , , , , , /by

This article by Marie Allen, Fairtrade Horsham, was published in West Sussex County Times on 11.3.21

Horsham has been a Fairtrade town since 2005 and we are lucky to have so many shops and cafes which offer Fairtrade products, giving farmers and producers a better deal. Fairtrade Fortnight, which ended on March 8th, had Climate Justice as its theme this year, reflecting the importance of climate change for farmers in the developing world. Many of them are already seeing its impact in droughts, crop disease, floods and heatwaves.

Fairtrade and Climate Justice

Fairtrade means that farmers and producers receive a fair price for their products and that they have safe working conditions. In addition, they receive a Fairtrade premium which they can choose to spend as they see fit. Fairtrade farmers and producers adhere to a set of environmental protection standards and they are encouraged to learn about environmentally friendly practices. Many spend their Fairtrade premium on measures to alleviate the impacts of climate change.

Read more

Encourage Your Kids to Go Outside More

/in , , /by

Outdoor playGetting outdoors and learning about nature is an essential part of education. These days, however, many children prefer to spend their free-time cooped up inside with a tablet on their lap and the TV playing in the background. While technology can play an excellent role in a kid’s childhood, they also need time in the great outdoors.

If your kid is more interested in YouTube than wildlife and you want to change that, then here is how.

Grow Your Garden 

Bringing the outdoors close to home is the simple first step to getting your little one more in tune with nature. Create areas in the garden that will interest them, such as a pond, a bird-feeder, or maybe even a treehouse! If you do decide on a treehouse, consider hiring a tree surgeon before installing it.

Children mimic their parents, so you should make a goal to go into the garden more, and your kid will be more likely to follow. If you have the room, you could even give them an entire spot to do whatever they want with (within reason).

Take a Weekly Walk 

Read more

Get Creative for Nature Over Half Term

/in , , , , , /by

Inspiring environmental art competition appeals for children and young people to get involved over holidays and the summer term. Thanks to a grant from The Boltini Trust, Sussex Green Living and the South Downs National Park Trust, which is the official charity of South Downs National Park, have developed this “Clean Up & Create” a Bright New Future competition for 5-16 year olds in Sussex and Hampshire.

Julie Fawcett, Chair of the South Downs National Park Trust, said “A key focus for the South Downs National Park Trust is to engage young people with this amazing natural asset on their doorstep with all its beautiful landscapes and wildlife.

“This competition offers a great way for children to get creative and think about ways we can conserve and enhance our environment in the years ahead. Young people are the future custodians of national gems such as the South Downs and this is a fantastic way to inspire them”

The aim is to encourage young people to design some artwork with a powerful message to raise awareness of the environment and represent the theme of a bright new future they want for the world.

There are two categories to choose from in each age group: Read more

Virtual climate cafe connecting people and planet

/in , , , , , /by

Week 3 of virtual climate cafe

Local people removed from isolation for one hour a week through the virtual Horsham Climate Cafe. Saturday 11th April saw the numbers grow from 7 the first planning week, to 15, with 24 turning-in last week to learn about frugal and free wild cooking from Fiona founder of Earthkind and an eco art competition which Sussex Green Living are running with the South Downs National Park.  With lots of other exciting local and countywide ideas materialising.

The Horsham Climate Cafe normally pops up once a month at the Quaker Meeting House in Horsham, but quickly adapted with lockdown to go online using Zoom free video conferencing. Last week saw people from Horsham, Billingshurst, Lindfield, Worthing, Chichester, Peacehaven, Petworth and Leeds tuning-in! The aim is to remove people for social isolation for an hour a week to discuss ideas for supporting community and planet in this uncertain time. The organisers are very heartened to be receiving such a positive response and great engagement! Read more

Christmas Cracker Making Workshop

/in , , /by

Upcycled crackers – crackers for life!

The zero-waste movement is seemingly the antithesis of Christmas – a time of huge consumption and over-indulgence. But far from being for the Seasonal Scrooge, buying more consciously at Christmas means all of the joy of the feast without the guilt of chucking huge amounts of leftovers in the (compost) bin and adding to the mountains of rubbish once celebrations are over.

Christmas dinner would not be the same without a cracker to pull – but don’t despair that you have to go without in order to be green or ecological – help is at hand! Christmas crackers don’t have to be bad.
Come and learn how to make your own sustainable reusable Christmas crackers – crackers for a lifetime. The DIY Christmas cracker route involves cardboard toilet roll inserts and rolling them in a fabric of your choice. Fill with a handwritten joke and gift and tie with a ribbon at each end.

Read more

FREE wind-related craft activities during half term

/in , , , /by

October Half Term 2019

FREE Activities at Rampion Windfarm Visitor Centre

Rampion Windfarm Visitors Centre will be running FREE wind-related craft activities throughout the October half term week from Mon 28th Oct to Friday 1st Nov. 10am – 3pm each day, as well as having information and videos for adults to learn more about Rampion.
Fun for the whole family!

MONDAY 28th: Art theme

TUESDAY 29th: Wind races

Read more

More Yard Bombing or we call it Ocean Bombing!

Environmental art and message ocean bomb Horsham District

/in , , , , , /by

Horsham Carfax Bandstand

Horsham District was bombarded with environmental art and activity on Saturday 6th July. Volunteers from the Horsham Repair Café and Sussex Green Living, an environmental awareness and educational network, provided a dazzling array of ‘environmentally friendly’ stalls at their second Share, Care and Repair Fair, this year within Horsham Market. It was part of the Horsham District Year of Culture 2019 and Horsham Festival.

In the run up to this unique Fair nineteen locations – shops, salons, sports centre, Horsham library and the Carfax bandstand, had surprize eco ocean art installed with environmental messages, plus a display at the Fair. This Community Eco Ocean Art project, sponsored by Biffa, was the brainchild of the founder of Sussex Green Living Carrie Cort. Carrie said “People are so worried about plastic pollution and the plight of the planet, I thought this would be fun for anyone of any age to get creative around communicating the problems and solutions”. She continued “Their art had to be made of unwanted materials or acrylic wool. Acrylic wool is a problem because it is synthetic, plastics, which means it will take decades to completely break down”.

Pam Tedder one of the Horsham Repair Café volunteers co-ordinated the yarn or ocean bombing of the Carfax bandstand.  Read more

Pop-up Share Fair in Horsham

/in , , /by

Join us in the Human Nature Garden, Horsham Park on Sunday 8th July 12 – 6pm, where there will be a pop-up Share Fair and Horsham Repair Café. We will be running alongside the Horsham Rotary family event Funday Sunday.

A Share Fair is a social event where instead of buying new things, people share, swap or recycle stuff. People meet each other to share skills, ideas and stories – like an old-fashioned market but with no money. Read more

Wildlife Eco Warrior assembly & workshops

/in , , , , /by

This workshop is a fun, informative and practical session, showing the synergy between biodiversity, environmental protection and upcycling. Led by Carrie Cort the founder of Sussex Green Living, this is one in a series of workshops Carrie offers.

In this workshop we generate ideas which  inspire our children to become the next generation of green champions. In turn these ideas can help them make decisions about the way we do things individually and collectively, both locally and globally. This will improve the quality of life now, reducing damage to the planet in the future. The workshop includes some hands on creative upcycling for the garden, e.g. butterfly hibernation boxes from TetraPaks, owl boxes out of old wellington boots, bird feeders out of plastic milk bottles.  Subjects: Science, PSHE, Art & Design and Citizenship.

Learn more about the Wildlife Eco Warrior session we ran for Annington Homes at Gamlingay Primary School in Bedfordshire…..

Read more

Inspiration through Green Art

/in , , , , /by

Children from all over West Sussex competed in our Eco Beast Sculpture competition in July, culminating in a public display at the family event ‘Funday Sunday’ in Horsham Park.

The four winning schools –  Warninglid, Georgian Gardens, William Penn School and Upper Beeding – enjoyed their prizes on 8th, 11th, 12th and 13th September.  Read more

Eco Beasts take over West Sussex!

/in , , , , , /by

Eco Beast Competition

Eco Beast Sculptures migrated from across West Sussex and took over a marquee in Horsham Park at ‘Funday Sunday’ on Sunday 9th July.  Children from all over the county had wonderful fun making Eco Beast Sculptures out of waste resources. The best sculptures from schools and children’s uniformed groups formed a stunning public exhibition at this family event. Read more

Fantastic family woodland event

/in , , /by

Into the Trees – family event

9th and 10th September 2017

Pippingford Park, Sussex

 ‘Rope swinging, pond skimming, slacklining, woodworking.

I have been to lots of festivals and I loved the peace of this one’ Read more

A Tietastic Guinness World Records

/in , , , /by


Carrie Cort is ‘Officially Amazing’, so say the Guinness World Record (GWR) office.  Last year as part of a ‘Green Play and Display Day’ which Carrie organised in the Human Nature Garden, Horsham Park, she attempted to beat the GWR challenge for the person wearing the most neckties, which was 260 ties, 400 had been donated. Carrie managed to beat the record by 10, a small margin but her neck would take no more! Her GWR officials were (left to right) Jeremy Quin MP, Amanda Jupp – WSCC County Councillor, Paul Bellringer – founder of Horsham Festival and Sarah Bamsey, who placed the ties.  Read more

Exciting county-wide competition for children

/in , , , , /by

Eco Beast Sculpture Competition – Green Inspiration Through the Arts

Sussex Green Living in partnership with Horsham Festival and West Sussex County Council Waste Prevention team, are delighted to launch an Eco Beast Sculpture competition, open to children and young people in West Sussex.

Our aim

This exciting competition aims to inspire young sculptors Read more

Remake, redesign & repair creative craft textile workshop 2017

/in , /by

Creative remaking workshops

Come and learn about an exciting new fashion trend and walk away with a revived, reinvented and reinvigorated wardrobe!  Our creative material workshops specialise in re-using stunning neckties in an amazing range of projects (other materials are available too). We are all about re-using, re-making, redesigning and making do with what we already have, or you are welcome to bring your own chosen material. Our aim is to help the environment and save you money!

Read more