Sussex Green Living offer a wide range of educational sessions from school assemblies and classroom sessions to full day roadshow events. We have a carousel of environmental topics that we can cover and we tailor them for any age group from Early Years to Sixth Form.

Our environmental education programme promotes Education for Sustainable Development, STEAM and Sustainable Development Goals – Goal 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, Goal 12 Responsible Consumption and Production, Goal 13 Climate Action, Goal 14 Life Below Water and Goal 15 Life on Land. Curriculum links – global citizenship, geography, English, science and life skills.

A Pop-up with Purpose: Community Collaboration Brings Wellbeing & Sustainability To Horsham

/in , , , /by

This May 2026, an empty retail unit in Swan Walk Shopping Centre has been transformed into a vibrant community hub—demonstrating the power of collaboration to support both people and planet. 

In an inspiring joint initiative, Men’s Shed Horsham and Sussex Green Living have come together to launch a month-long pop-up shop focused on wellbeing, sustainability, and community connection. They are joined by Menshare and SEN Shed, creating a diverse and inclusive programme of activities across the week.   Read more

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

/in , , , , , /by

By Carrie Cort 

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.    Read more

two pelicans walking on logWWT Arundel Wetlands Centre

Arundel wetlands Centre – Communicating the Message of Nature

/in , , , /by

Written by Keir Hartley

“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.   Read more

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

/in , , , , /by

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 […]

Read more

Batting for Change: Repair and Reuse Take Root in Local Cricket

/in , , , , , /by

In a small workshop in Haywards Heath, cricket bats are being restored to life. Barney Morris,
better known as Barney Bats, repairs around 50 damaged bats each week. After a busy
weekend of matches, his workbench can resemble a triage unit as bats arrive in need of care
and attention.

Morris, who runs the cricket department at Wisdom Sports in town, is on a mission to prove
that a cracked bat need not be discarded. His passion began when he started fixing senior bats
for junior players, driven by the high cost of new kit. “The price of cricket bat willow means
getting a good bat is really expensive,” he explained. “Now I get donated adult bats which I can
repair and resize for children and I can sell them at a fraction of the cost of a new bat.”

This local reuse initiative reflects a growing shift towards circularity in sport. The
Farnham-based Centre for Sustainable Design (CfSD) recently coordinated Cricket Gear Reuse
(CGR) pilot schemes in the Farnham area of Surrey and in Wandsworth, South London. In
summer 2024, clubs collected and redistributed over 500 items including bats, pads, gloves
and shirts that might otherwise have ended up unused or in landfill. These schemes saved
approximately 1.5 tonnes of CO₂ emissions and diverted over 100 kilograms of gear from the
waste stream. The items of kit were collected, checked and sorted through drop-off points at
local cricket clubs and at a convenience store and then redistributed to state schools, young
players and an Afghan refugee.

Read more

Plant 2 Plate Festival Logo

Exciting new family friendly event in Horsham

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Plant 2 Plate Festival LogoPress release – PLANT TO PLATE FESTIVAL – brought to you by Sussex Green Living

Growing together – Food – Fun – Family – Free

From 10am-4pm on Saturday 26th April, Horsham will come alive to celebrate green living in Sussex – perfect for mums, dads, and little ones alike. It’s a day packed with local food, expert talks and eco-friendly fun that will inspire you and your family to live more sustainably. Spread across four unique venues in central Horsham, come along for a day of free goodies, family-friendly activities, and caring community vibes at the Plant to Plate Festival!

At the Sussex Green Hub, in the United Reformed Church, you will find advice and simple energy-saving hacks to reduce utility bills, our popular Horsham Repair Café who might help you fix that zip, clock or kettle. There will be free food stalls at the Horsham Community Fridge, our Refill Shop to top up on all of the essentials, and don’t forget to treat yourself to one of the Sussex food or drink artisan delights – of course all in line with reducing waste.

At the Unitarian Church Hall and gardens, green thumbs can get hands-on gardening tips from the experts with activities like ‘take it away’ seedlings, books and goodie stall and ways to reduce your food waste. There’s also the chance to get your hands dirty with composting and wildlife-friendly gardening advice and nature activities for the kids.

The Quaker Meeting House will play host to an array of expert talks and demonstrations, including how to avoid that problematic packaging that just can’t be recycled and ideas on how to cook tasty healthy meals that can reduce your impact on the planet.

Stop off at the Bishopric Market on your way between the venues, hosting fresh fruit, veggies, plants, and even retro pre-loved treasures for your home. Enjoy live music, meet warm-hearted community volunteers, and explore the vibrant eco float that’s been creatively refurbished to lighten our carbon footprint.

Whether you’re already deeply passionate about taking care of our planet or just starting out, the Plant to Plate Festival has something for everyone. Bring your family and friends, learn new ways to live more sustainably, and join us in building a brighter, greener future for Sussex – one plate and one plant at a time!

Mark your calendars – we can’t wait to see you there!

Events Calendar | Sussex Green Living

Sussex Environmental Charity Marks Banner Year with Call for New Volunteers

/in , , , , , /by

Sussex Green Living is celebrating a remarkable year of environmental activism and community engagement, while announcing ambitious expansion plans for 2025. The grassroots charity has seen unprecedented growth in its initiatives across the region, particularly in its innovative business partnerships and educational programmes.

“The climate and ecological emergency affects us all, small changes by many in everyday actions are triggering significant and rapid societal shifts” says Carrie Cort the charity’s founder. “2024 has shown us the incredible impact of community-driven environmental initiatives.”

A significant milestone came in March when the charity partnered with Billingshurst-based PMW Marketing to launch two groundbreaking projects. The Green Business Network has successfully fostered corporate environmental responsibility, while the Pollination Education Station project has literally planted seeds of change across Sussex. Read more

Sussex Green Living and Envitia Horsham at the install of the Pollination Education Station in Horsham

Sussex is Really Buzzing

/in , , , , , , /by

Getting Sussex Buzzing again!

Sussex is really buzzing in 2024 thanks to exciting new collaborations between Sussex Green Living and local businesses: a new way of combining practical solutions to current and future environmental issues with community outreach, fundraising and business wellbeing. The Pollination Education Stations and Green Business Network have been developed in collaboration with Billingshurst based agency PMW Communications as part of their generous gift of pro bono work with 30 local charities to celebrate their 30 years in business.

One week after Sussex Green Living launched these new endeavours at the Sussex Green Hub, the first Pollination Education Station (PES) has been installed. Horsham based business, Envitia Ltd, a digital and data services company based in Horsham, will focus on one charity each quarter and on Monday 4th March, as part of their fundraising and collaboration with Sussex Green Living, they set up their Pollination Education Station, a haven for pollinators, with a community herb bed and an information board.

Read more

The Impact of Flying

/in , /by

This year we’re asking, “Can airlines please tell us the truth – the whole truth – about the impacts of aviation?  Is it not one of the biggest polluters of our planet?”  Like cigarette packaging and advertising, and in a similar way to food allergy advice, shouldn’t plane tickets have health warnings for us and the planet?

Read more

Sussex Green Living Achievements 2022

/in , , , , , , , , , /by

Ashington Youth Club

Well what a year 2022 was for Sussex Green Living. As we reflect on the last year and plan for the future and 2023, we thought it was worth taking a moment to share some of our achievements…

Demand for Sussex Green Living environmental education services in schools and public events has never been higher, so much so that requests for our help vastly outstripped the grants we had been awarded to be able to deliver the work in schools.

Read more

Students create inspiring art in Repair Cafe Challenge

/in , , /by

SimonWhen thinking about living an environmentally sustainable life, the first thing most people think about is the 3Rs: ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’. As part of Sussex Green Living’s education outreach programme, we initiated a School Challenge looking at how you can reduce waste by repairing.

 

Our school challenge for Horsham District Schools was supported by a Horsham District Community Lottery Grant, a donation from a Horsham councillor and kindly judged by Horsham artist, Morag Warrack.

 

The challenge invited students to learn about repair cafés, what they do and how they help reduce waste on our planet. There are items that could be repaired but often people don’t have the skillset to make repairs. Repair Cafés are run by volunteers who have both a passion and the expertise to repair electrical, mechanical and textile items. The premise is that you can take along your items and for a small donation, they will try to fix them while you stay, watch and hopefully learn a new skill at the same time.

Read more

Never too Small to Make a Difference

/in , , /by

SchoolEducation has always formed a big part of the Sussex Green Living mission. In fact, it is where Carrie Cort started out, as a network of families learning about nature, the environment and ways that everyone can live a more sustainable life.

Read more

Sorting recycling at The Chapel

Community Collaboration at its Best

/in , , , , /by

During the first lockdown in 2020 many people felt isolated. Sussex Green Living (SGL) thought it was important to connect people and to continue its work improving the environment. SGL’s Carrie Cort organised weekly online Horsham Climate Café events. Some of these attracted over 150 people, both local and from further afield. One of the aims of the café was to introduce people ‘virtually’ from the same villages and this is when the seed of Billingshurst environmental group BilliGreen was planted.

 

The group was started by Mela Davidson and Melanie Holliker who both wanted to create a network that boosted the local community and had a positive impact on the local environment.

 

Read more

Sussex teenagers unite to take action on climate by Max Moorcroft (first published in West Sussex County Times)

/in , , , , , , /by

Sussex Green Living’s Youth Eco Forum is a young persons’ environmental group where we speak about current news and creatively demonstrate climate activism in many forms. The YEF was founded in June 2020 in the hope of connecting like-minded teenagers to make a difference for our planet during a period of disconnection… so we started […]

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

Tesco grant helps us share Bright New Future

/in , , , , /by

Thanks to a Tesco Community grant on 8th July we took our Bright New Future Roadshow to Kingslea School in Horsham where we worked with 60 children from Year Two who had been studying Our Blue Planet. Our original plan was to attend their school summer fete, but owing to covid this was postponed, and […]

Read more
Youth Eco Forum

Beyond Be-Leaf: A Day in the Woods by Liz Stack

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

Student App set to deliver lower carbon future

/in , , , /by

Press Release – Solar for Schools App wins Innovate UK grant

Students calling for action against climate change will have access to an App that will help them in the fight to deliver a lower carbon future in the UK.

The App is being developed by Solar Options for Schools, which won funding this week (4 November 2020) from UK Innovate in the latest round of the £10 million Sustainable Innovation Fund. The fund is intended to help the UK rebuild after the effects of COVID-19.

The Solar for Schools App will deliver an innovative interactive App, which will enable secondary students to learn about energy, electricity, and climate. It will offer learning to all students, irrespective of their social-economic status, being accessible on both android and apple phones. Read more

Biscuit wrapper recycling

Parishes and Schools recycle more single-use plastics

/in , , , /by

School recyclingHere’s What You Can Do.

In partnership with TerraCycle, a global leader in recycling hard-to-recycle materials, Sussex Green Living is now working with over fourteen parishes and schools to divert billions of waste resources from landfills.

Why is Recycling Single-Use Plastic Important?

Plastics are extremely durable and cheap to manufacture, making them almost impossible to overlook for manufacturers when it comes to product design and packaging. But their durability comes at the cost of slow degradation rates in the wild; upwards of 300 to 1000 years.

With about 380 tonnes of it being produced every year, by the time the plastic we have disposed of today begins to degrade the quantity in landfills, oceans and everywhere else will have become totally unmanageable. That is, unless, we can turn the tides.

Bisphenol A has been observed to disrupt physiological levels of sex hormones, negatively affect thyroid hormone gene expression in humans, and cause other detrimental effects. In marine life, issues with plastic entanglement and ingestion have been observed at a broad scale. Read more

E.Y.E.’s 1st Virtual EYE Eco-Summit

/in , , , , /by

*** UNDER A WEEK TO GO…***

…to the online launch of E.Y.E.’s 1st Virtual EYE Eco-Summit, on the 2nd July at 10:00.

The social distancing has led to the postponement of the 13th Worthing and Adur Eco-Summit gathering. I know that your participation in the event was booked into your calendar, and that you might take an interest in our virtual event. As always we look forward to your involvement and support with our future events.

EYE have taken the initiative to collate and post a selection of workshops, to keep our keen eco-learners busy. Kindly provided by some of our supporters who were able to do so, in these challenging times we currently find ourselves in.

The 1st Virtual EYE Eco-Summit will be available via YouTube. 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

Environmental education for lockdown victims!

/in , , , /by

​​‘CLEAN-UP AND CREATE’ a Bright New Future’

Educational competition for schools and children working from home!

Sussex Green Living in partnership with the South Downs National Park have just launched an educational competition called ‘CLEAN-UP AND CREATE’ a Bright New Future’. It has been designed to provide a platform for raising awareness about the environment, littering and changes we could make to build a bright new future. The challenge​ is​ for 5 to 16 year olds to design a poster and or a piece of eco art and associated message, enable them to learn, have fun and get creative around the ​w​orld they want. There are 16 x £150 prizes to be won!

Read more

Exciting Bright New Futures Programme for schools

/in , , /by

Imagination, dream and reimagine a Bright New Future

We are in the process of adapting our existing environmental education programme, The Future We Want, in light of the current health, economic and environmental crisis. Through our Bright New Futures programme, schools will be able to book free assemblies, lessons and eco council action planning sessions. In this updated programme, the schools will have the option to choose from the following themes

·         NEW – Bright New Future Through The Arts

·         NEW – Bright New Future Tell Us A Story

·         NEW – Grow Your Own Revolution

·         Love Clothes and Planet

·         Energy Forever

·         Plastic-Free Sea

 

Bright New Future Through The Arts and Tell Us A Story

(While we are preparing to launch these workshops, children and young people are invited to get creative from home and take part in our Clean up and create a Bright New Future competition, learn more here) Read more

Join our Eco Billingshurst Carnival Procession

/in , , , , , /by
Grandparents, parents & children sharing ‘The Future We Want’ at Billingshurst Carnival

Come and join our ‘The Future We Want’ Billingshurst Carnival Procession

This is your invitation to come, have fun and share your greener living message with our Sussex Green Living carnival procession. For a second year running we are taking a procession in the Billingshurst carnival, run by the Billingshurst Rotary on Sunday 24th June.  Last year about 30 local people of all ages and two eco vehicles joined us, learn more here. This years Rotary theme is Heroes and Villains, our theme is The Future We Want – Greener Living! Read more