Secure your slice of sustainable South Downs fund (West Sussex)
May 19, 2008
Contact Name: James Ort
Contact email: jort@southdowns-aonb.gov.uk
People across West Sussex are being encouraged to apply to the South Downs Joint Committee (SDJC) for the chance to share a slice of the £120,000 South Downs Sustainable Development Fund (SDF). The fund is open to organisations, businesses, community groups or individuals with projects that enhance, conserve and improve the sustainability, environment, economy and way of life across the East Hampshire and Sussex Downs Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).
In last year’s SDF, 19 applicants were successful, including the Graffham Down Trust and the Soil Association/West Sussex Countryside Studies Trust, which together received grants totalling £8,225. The Graffham Down Trust benefited from a grant of £5000. The Trust has been working hard over the last few years to create chalk grassland corridors to link the three reserves it manages on the top of the Downs. Sustainable Development Fund money was used to fence part of the corridor so the site could be grazed in order to prevent the re-growth of scrub and small trees. Grazing will encourage rare chalk grassland species to colonize the site.
Paul Dimmer, from the Graffham Down Trust said: “The project has been a real success - our volunteers spent a great deal of time on the Downs clearing scrub off the site so it could be fenced. The volunteer time was used to match fund the Sustainable Development Fund money, which is great for an organisation like ours that has very little spare revenue.”
Ten schools benefited from a joint collaboration project from the Soil Association and the West Sussex Countryside Studies Trust. A total of £3,225 of the Sustainable Development Fund was used to help over 600 school children (many of whom were from urban areas) to re-engage with the South Downs farmed landscape. Classroom based workshops and visits to Home Farm on the Goodwood Estate were organised. Children were taught about a range of things including farmland animals, bee keeping, milking parlours and farmland machinery.
The children gave very positive feedback. A pupil from St Thomas Mores RC Primary School, Havant, said: “We had lots of fun. Our guide knew a lot about the animals, the farm and what happened. Also the milk was delicious, we had never tasted milk fresh from a cow before!"
Rupert Aker, Organic Farms Network Manager for the Soil Association said: "We were delighted that the South Downs SDF supported our project. Without it we wouldn't have been able to offer the opportunity for so many children to discover how farming helps shape the landscape. The excitement and interest of the children involved demonstrated the importance of the outside classroom in offering engaging learning opportunities."
There is £120,000 available in this financial year, the next application deadline is the 4th June. Grants can range from £500 to £25,000. Guidance information and application forms can be downloaded from www.southdowns.gov.uk or contact James Ort, Sustainable Development Fund Project Officer on (01273) 625242, jort@southdowns-aonb.gov.uk
The South Downs Joint Committee works in partnership with the South Downs Volunteer Ranger Service to protect this internationally important landscape. The aim of the Committee is to protect, conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the South Downs, promote opportunities for the understanding and quiet enjoyment of the area's special qualities and encourage sustainable forms of economic and community development.
