Get involved in the Ouse Valley Climate Action - Community Pitch by supporting projects local to the Lewes District
Ouse Valley Climate Action (OVCA) aims to bring the whole community together to help the environment and create a more sustainable planet for future generations. Community Pitch asked groups in the Lewes District to ‘pitch’ their projects and be in for a chance of funding up to £5,000. We asked them to fundraise 10% of the project value yourselves, which could be through local events, their organisation, or a crowd funding page which we can create for shortlisted entries.See below for
See below the crowdfunding details and links for the final round of shortlisted groups – please have a browse and consider these fantastic local initiatives for your support!
Current Projects
Bishopstone Station – Exhibition and Field Study base
Who: Friends of Bishopstone Station
The Pitch: Our project will develop the restored Bishopstone Station platform waiting room into an interactive exhibition and field‑study base celebrating the Ouse Estuary’s landscapes, wildlife and human history. We will host, family activities and school field sessions, helping people understand climate change, biodiversity loss and how local action protects fragile habitats.
The project benefits children, young people, families, residents, visitors and eco‑tourists, as well as the wider environment through increased awareness and responsible access. We will share the project through local newsletters, community networks, social media, press, on‑site QR codes and events at climate hubs and eco‑fairs. People can join walks, volunteer as stewards, contribute stories or help with monitoring wildlife and heritage. After funding ends, the exhibition, equipment and volunteer‑led activities will continue, creating a lasting eco‑education hub for the Ouse Estuary.
Matchfunding target: Friends of Bishopstone Station need to matchfund £3,500 – please help them if you can.
Denton Island Community Garden – Volunteer-led gardening group
Who: Sussex Community Development Association
The Pitch: We plan to establish a volunteer-led Sustainable Gardening group at Denton Island Community Centre, supporting local residents to come together in a safe and inclusive setting to practice nature-friendly gardening. The group will run a timetable of free and friendly hands-on sessions.
The project will:
- Support local residents to gain practical knowledge, skills and confidence in sustainable and nature-friendly gardening techniques (including composting, seed saving, wildlife habitat creation, water saving) through hands-on group sessions.
- Overcome financial barriers to gardening at home by creating a free/low-cost Seed Exchange and Seedling Bank.
- Improve the bio-diversity of the garden, by planning wildlife friendly plants.
We will also use our links with the Ouse Valley Climate Change project (OVCA) to ensure learnings, challenges and success are shared with other local environmental groups and organisations to further embed sustainability and climate action across our work streams and within our community.
Matchfunding target: Sussex Community Development Association need to matchfund £4,050 – Please help them if you can.
Home to Habitat: Discovering the connections between home, energy and nature, Lewes
Who: Ouse Valley Energy Services Co (OVESCO)
The Pitch: Home to Habitat turns OVESCO’s energy advice room in Lewes House into a hands-on space, exploring one big question: how can the place where you live, inside and outside, become more resilient, affordable and nature-friendly?
Created with People’s Park for Nature, it connects what happens in your home with what happens in your garden. Touch insulation samples, hear what a heat pump really sounds like, see solar panels in action, spot heat loss and garden wildlife through a thermal camera, pick up seeds, water-saving tips and ideas for natural shading.
Matchfunding target: OVESCO need to matchfund £4,000 – Please help them if you can.
Havens Community Hub, Newhaven
Who: Havens Community Hub CIC
The Pitch: We will create a garden for our support centre that supports those who are homeless, rough sleeping, insecurely housed or with related vulnerabilities. We will create a welcoming community space, to promote new hobbies, connections and environmental education. We will use water collection and recycling methods and composting to be inclusive of sustainable gardening practices. This project will benefit those in the community reaching out for support- by providing a lowpressure and welcoming support centre. We will continue to provide updates on our website: https://www.havenscommunityhub.co.uk/ And our social media and directly to our visitors and service users.
We envision this garden space being used for years to come, improving the area and becoming a valued space for our community to come together.
Matchfunding target: Havens Community Hub CIC need to matchfund £4,995 – Please help them if you can.
Seaford Head School – Improving biodiversity
Who: Seaford Head School
The Pitch: We will improve the grounds at Seaford Head School for biodiversity. Biodiversity is the foundation of everything for a healthy world. We have lost 72% of biodiversity in the last 50 years. We need to preserve what we have left and improve it. The students of Seaford Head will plant wildflowers, spring bulbs, trees, and hedges. We’ll create spaces for nature, and for people to enjoy nature. We hope our project will also raise awareness and inspire others to also create space for nature.
Matchfunding target: Seaford Head School need to matchfund £4,000 – Please help them if you can.
Seahaven Nappy Library
Who: Seaford Environmental Alliance
The Pitch: The UK uses 8 million single-use nappies every day. Each nappy takes a whole cup of crude oil and 500 litres of water to produce, and takes 500 years to decompose. Meanwhile, families struggle to afford nappies.
– Seeking to reduce local dependence on disposables, we’ll support families to take the small ‘gateway’ step of switching just one nappy a day or trying washables one day a week.
– We’ll provide free, high-quality washable nappy starter packs to at least 45 families accessing the Seahaven Baby Bank and build a team of community nappy mentors to advise and support families.
– The project will be promoted to baby bank visitors, and on social media (#timeforachange) and in local press. – By actively supporting achievable behaviour change, and building a supportive washables community, we’ll encourage a shift in local behaviours and narratives around disposable nappies beyond the funded period.
Matchfunding target: Seaford Environmental Alliance need to matchfund £5,000 – please help them if you can.
In partnership with the National Lottery Community Fund and Lewes District Council, South Downs National Park Trust invited eligible organisations to submit their Community Pitch for sustainable project ideas that meet the Ouse Valley Climate Action initiative themes of reducing carbon usage, supporting nature and enhancing wellbeing, knowledge and skills around climate change.
Please note:
Donations will be used to support the intended project. If funds are raised in excess of the final project costs, the surplus will be used by the recipient to enhance or maintain the project, in line with its organisation’s objectives.
If this is not possible, the funds will be transferred to the Community Pitch Fund, administered by the South Downs National Park Trust (registered charity no. 1174975), to support other charitable projects in the Ouse Valley Climate Action area.
If a project is unable to proceed or is not completed, donations will similarly be redirected to other eligible projects in the area. If you wish to request a return of your individual donation, please contact: grants@southdowns.gov.uk