Fundraising banner with child and flower pot

Donations set to double in national campaign

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

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.  Read more

Cables contain previous finite resources

A Greener Spring Clean: Why Charity Recycling Beats Mining Finite Resources

/in , /by

As spring approaches, many of us feel the urge to refresh our homes, clear out clutter, and start anew. But this year, there’s an opportunity to make your spring clean go beyond your home—and benefit the planet too. By decluttering old and unused technology, you can help reduce environmental damage while raising funds for charity.  Read more

Recycling Electricals – Remove Personal Data

/in , /by

By decluttering old and unused technology, you can help reduce environmental damage while raising funds for charity.  Read more

Slow travel: Explore the gems on our doorstep this Bank Holiday

/in , /by

By Bex Bastable 

With bank holiday weekends coming up in April and May, this spring offers the perfect opportunity to rediscover what’s right on our doorstep – and to think a little differently about how we travel. Many of us will already have booked our summer holidays, but there’s growing pressure on airlines to be more transparent about the true environmental cost of flying. 

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

Save rain water to use in your garden

How can we not have enough water when it rains all the time?

/in , /by

By Elle Bennett Runton  

Water is something many of us in the UK rarely think twice about. It falls generously from the sky in March and April, and flows effortlessly from our taps, but behind that everyday convenience is a growing challenge. Even though it might feel like it’s always raining, the water isn’t always going where it’s needed or staying around long enough to be beneficial. This is why we face hose-pipe bans in summer and why water scarcity in the UK is an increasing concern. The average person in the UK uses around 140 litres of water every day, far higher than in the 1960s.  Read more

Dead leaves protect new growthGergo

Nature is Still Sleeping

/in , , , /by

By Elle Runton

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

Hedgehogs find shelter and food in dead leaves

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

/in , , /by

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: Read more

Gold course in Sussex

How Sussex Golf Courses are Embracing Eco-Friendly Practices

/in , , , /by

By Annie Button

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. 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

Richard Sharman

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

/in , /by

Written by Tony Whitbread President of Sussex Wildlife Trust. 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, […]

Read more
Joy Carter

Do you “put your face on” before leaving the house?

/in , , , , , /by

Do you “put your face on” before leaving the house? Most of us do. Going out bare-faced still feels like a bold move. Yet from Pamela Anderson and Alicia Keys to Helen Mirren and Bella Hadid, more people—including plenty of Sussex shoppers—are choosing to skip the make-up and embrace what’s already there.  At the same time, the beauty industry […]

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

Don’t Go It Alone This Year: Find Purpose in Community Action

/in , /by

  Don’t Go It Alone This Year: Find Purpose in Community Action As the calendar turns, many of us feel the familiar pull of fresh starts and good intentions. New Year’s resolutions promise change, yet they often fade as winter wears on. A recent survey by YouGov plc found that one in five Britons say […]

Read more

Try the Kindness Challenge: Why Veganuary is the Perfect New Year’s Resolution

/in , , /by

Try the Kindness Challenge: Why Veganuary is the Perfect New Year’s Resolution VEGANUARY is a straightforward concept: challenging non-vegans to eat a vegan diet for the whole month of January. It’s the ideal New Year’s resolution for anyone interested in adopting a kinder and healthier way of living. And best of all, with all the […]

Read more

National Emergency Briefing held in Westminster 

/in , , , , /by

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 […]

Read more

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

Swap, don’t shop: Find fun ways to refresh your festive wardrobe the sustainable way

/in , , , /by

Christmas is a time of joy but also a time of overspending and overconsumption. But this year could be different, starting with your wardrobe. What if this festive season, you bought nothing new to wear?

Before you panic about party season, hear me out. The fashion industry produces 100 billion garments annually, yet we wear items an average of just seven times before discarding them according to The Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Meanwhile, recycling that glittery party dress isn’t the solution we imagine – mixed fabrics are virtually impossible to separate and recycle effectively.

Read more
Stress Awareness Week - Walking in Nature

Stress Awareness Week: finding balance through everyday choices 

/in /by

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. 

Read more

Planet Care

Filtering Out Microfibre Pollution

/in /by

Did you know your daily diet might include a helping of plastic? Microplastics have been found in honey, sea salt, bottled water, and even human blood and lungs. While they may be “micro” in size, their impact on health and the environment is anything but small. We can’t see them, but they’re everywhere. Every time we wash synthetic clothes, thousands of microscopic fibres are released into the water system. Many of these microplastics end up in rivers and seas and the soil where they can harm wildlife and enter the food chain.  

Our washing machines are a major source of this pollution. A University of Plymouth study (Napper & Thompson, 2016) fund that an average 6kg load of laundry can release more than 700,000 plastic microfibres into wastewater. Most of these fibres come from synthetic fabrics such as polyester, which now make up over 60 per cent of the world’s textiles.   Read more

Mobile Share Shed by the Network of Wellbeing, a model for what SGL hopes to create. Mobile Share Shed by the Network of Wellbeing, a model for what SGL hopes to create.Share Shed

National Lottery grant helps local project look to a sharing future

/in /by

Sussex Green Living has received a National Lottery Community Fund award to expand its work with young people and families, while exploring the creation of a “Library of Things” for Sussex. 

SGL is best known for running the monthly Repair Café and Green Hub in Horsham. Since it was launched, volunteers have repaired hundreds of household items and garments, saved residents thousands of replacement costs and prevented waste from going to landfill or incineration.  

The new funding will help the group target 17–25-year-olds and families with young children, with extra activities at the Repair Café, family friendly events and skills sharing opportunities. Champions will be recruited to take pop up repair cafés and skill swaps into colleges and community venues.   
Read more

Repair Starts Here

/in , , /by

Across Sussex, people are proving that repair is not a thing of the past but part of the future we need to build. From Storrington to Horsham, Lewes to Brighton, Repair Cafés show what a circular economy looks like in everyday life: people coming together to fix broken things, share knowledge and stop waste before it starts.

Last weekend marked International Repair Day, but for the volunteers and visitors at Repair Cafés across Sussex, repair is not just a day, it is a habit that keeps growing. These monthly meet-ups are practical and sociable. A kettle, a radio or a pair of trousers comes in broken and often goes home working again. What stays behind is something less tangible but just as valuable: connection, confidence and community.

Read more

Refilling Hope in a Throwaway World

/in , , /by

It isn’t easy to make time for change. Between work, family and the daily scramble of modern life even simple acts of care can feel like luxuries. Yet at the refill station in Chanctonbury Leisure Centre I watched someone carefully scoop oat powder into a reused container and it made me pause. In that small, steady movement was a kind of hope, the quiet belief that our actions however ordinary still matter.

The recent passing of Jane Goodall brought that home again. In her final film Famous Last Words she talked about hope and how even when the world feels dark small actions multiplied millions of times can create great change. It is an idea that feels steadying.

Read more

Grain and Flame – Recycling Comes of Age

/in , /by

by Keir Hartley

The sustainability movement has achieved great things in the last decade. “Repair”, “recycle” and “reuse” are words that everyone uses now, from businesses and TV shows to repair cafés across the country including the ones run by Sussex Green Living. Dare we hope they’re here to stay? The evidence suggests so, as we discovered when we visited Peter and Kim Beadle and their seven dogs of Grain and Flame in Goring by Sea.

Grain and Flame transforms discarded materials into cherished garden ornaments. Old cutlery is metamorphosed into hovering dragonflies. Chicken wire becomes lifelike owls frozen in flight. Copper is beaten and welded into graceful lilies. Peter got the idea after a lifetime in the building trade. Kim soon joined in. A happy hobby became a business, and the building industry provided the raw materials for one of their star items. 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