August’s meeting with Sussex Wildlife Trust
For our August meeting, Hastings Chamber members headed over to Rye to visit the Rye Harbour Discovery Centre, owned by Sussex Wildlife Trust, where we had the chance to hear from Fundraising and Partnerships Officer, Louise Colbran, and Visitor Experience Manager, Arthur Sloman, about the Trust, before taking in the scenery around the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve with a net-walk!
Established in 1961, the Sussex Wildlife Trust is the largest conservation charity in the county, managing over 30 Nature reserves across Sussex. With a focus on protecting the rich natural life found across the towns, countryside and coast, they work with the local communities to take action for wildlife, as well as helping to educate people of all ages, and engage with policy makers to encourage positive change.
The Trust also recognise the vital importance of promoting the reconnection between people and nature and creating a better understanding of the natural world. Since 2005, they have delivered Forest School programmes to Sussex children from schools and nurseries to youth and community groups. On top of this, taking advantage of coastal living, they also run Wild Beach programmes where students can better understand the beach environment, practical skills and most importantly, keeping safe on the beach.
An important focus of this meeting was informing members on the ways we can make a difference as not only individuals but as businesses too. So, what can we do?
- Feed the birds
- Plant native pollinators
- Create a pond – even something as small as a wash basket
- Choose sustainable products and suppliers
- Recycle
- Getting to work – car share, walk, cycle, take public transport
- Reduce your carbon footprint
We also learnt about the development of the Rye Harbour Discovery Centre where this meeting was held. Owned by the Trust and Friends of Rye Harbour, the Centre was funded through the National Lottery Heritage Fund and opened back in 2021, acting as a gateway to the nature reserve. Run by both staff and volunteers, facilities in the centre include a café, gift shop, classrooms and meeting rooms.
With the weather on our side, members were able to stretch their legs and indulge in the beautiful scenery as we took a trip around the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. Whilst networking with one another on the walk, we had the chance to see some of the activities along the trail – including pencil rubbing stations – bird hides, and saltmarshes.