The Ouse Valley Climate Action Project is a National Lottery-funded project which aims to bring the community together to inspire positive action to mitigate the effects of climate change in the lower Ouse valley and Havens.
Communities Delivering Together
In October 2022 Ouse Valley Climate Action (OVCA) was awarded £2m from the National Lottery Community Fund – the largest funder of community activity in the UK – aiming to make the region a national pioneer in tackling the climate change emergency. OVCA won the funding after several busy years of discussions, events, planning and development across the region to work up a successful bid, competing with over 600 applicants.
The East Sussex partnership covers 10 organisations, including the South Downs National Park Trust and Authority and Lewes District Council, and has an ambitious goal of empowering local people to help create one of the first communities in England to fully embrace climate action.
The project area follows the River Ouse downstream from the village of Barcombe – which is aiming to be the UK’s first net-zero village – through to Lewes, the National Park’s largest town, and further south to the coastal towns of Seaford, Peacehaven, and Newhaven. The river valley is a fragile landscape that has already felt the effects of climate change this millennium, including flooding, storm damage, coastal erosion and biodiversity loss.
The funding will focus on three key areas: nature recovery and climate resilience; people’s knowledge and skills; and, finally, greener energy and travel.
Among the aims of the project are to:
• Capture more carbon with natural solutions, such as tree planting and creating new wildlife habitats.
• Make space for water in the Ouse catchment, such as creating water habitats, to reduce flood risk and increase resilience to drought
• Support more community green spaces and food-growing areas.
• Empower and educate residents about climate action and sustainable living through inspiring events, engagement and training sessions.
• Encourage behaviour change to help the environment.
• Develop new local Community Energy Groups and community-owned renewable energy projects.
• Events and engagement around improving household energy efficiency.
• Support new greener travel initiatives around walking, cycling and e-bikes.
Partners of the Ouse Valley Climate Action:
Community Pitch selection – Funding boost
During the winter of 2021-22, as part of the The National Lottery Community Fund-supported Ouse Valley Climate Action initiative, five local organisations bid for a prize to turn their sustainability idea into practical action. In partnership with the South Downs Trust, awards were given to projects aiming to reduce waste and carbon use, support wildlife, raise awareness and mitigate the effects of climate change.
There were five shortlisted projects bidding for a share of the funding pot. These are:
- Lewes Climate Hub – Warm Home Box is an idea from Lewes Climate Hub, a not-for-profit alliance of around twenty community groups in and around Lewes Town in East Sussex, taking action on climate change and ecological breakdown.
- Gardening In Association – GIA seeks to grow the joy of plants and gardening in everyone, enriching lives, building communities, increasing employment opportunities, advocating good horticultural practice, and positively impacting the environment.
- Chyngton School – Chyngton Wildlife Garden Club is a project from Chyngton Primary School.
- KP Projects CIC – KP Projects creates projects around the environment and sustainability, including raising awareness of local environments and new technologies in public spaces. The Living Coast Undersea Experience is a virtual reality experience, opening up one of the UK’s most unique marine environments, Beachy Head West Marine Conservation Zone, to everyone, and
- Affinity Rowing Club – aiming to increase community access to the unique sport of pilot gig rowing. Experienced coxes, coach and Mental Health professionals allow them to provide a unique holistic approach to rowing whereby technical skills, physical fitness and mental well-being are improved for members.
All received a share of funding with the top two receiving an additional prize towards their project.