Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT), the county’s leading conservation charity, and project partners Hastings Borough Council and Brighton & Hove City Council, have been awarded a grant of £274, 697 by Natural England’s Access to Nature, which is funded from the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme.

This grant funds a three year project allowing people living in parts of Brighton & Hove and Hastings a greater chance to experience and enjoy the natural world on their doorstep.

The long term aim is to give people from urban areas the opportunity to take an active role in the management of local green spaces while gaining new skills and confidence. Each area will have a group of community representatives to help drive the project forward during its initial three years and hopefully beyond.

Alison Patrick, SWT’s Access to Nature Manager says, “We are delighted to secure funding from Natural England. With this very welcome backing we can bring nature closer to people living in urban areas of Sussex. This project benefits people from a range of different backgrounds, the local community as well as the local wildlife.”

Councillor Mary Mears, Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council says “This is a great opportunity to help people get a better understanding of the rich natural environment in Brighton and Hove. Our Ranger service is already active in our parks, local nature reserves and on the South Downs but this new post plugs an important gap by focusing on urban wildlife on the urban green spaces right up close to where people live.”

Councillor Peter Pragnell, Leader of Hastings Borough Council, says “This is a wonderful opportunity to support and encourage local communities to use the fantastic nature reserves in Hastings and St Leonards. This project aims to promote the social and health benefits of our green spaces and recognise the contribution our natural environment makes to our quality of life.”

The project, led by Alison Patrick, will employ two full-time project officers and a part-time administrator.

It has been made possible by Access to Nature, a £25 million grant programme administered by Natural England as part of the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme.

Ends

For further information please contact:
Alison Patrick, Access to Nature Manager, Sussex Wildlife Trust, Tel: 01273 497564

Lorna Wilamowski, Natural England, Tel: 01483 307703

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888

Notes to Editors:

1 Access to Nature is run by Natural England and is part of The Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme launched in November 2005 to help communities enjoy and improve their local environments.

2. Natural England manages this £25 million Lottery-funded programme on behalf of a consortium of twelve national environmental organisations comprising BTVC, British Waterways, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Greenspace, Groundwork UK, Land Restoration Trust, The National Trust, Natural England, RSPB, the Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust.

3. Through this programme, it is Natural England’s ambition to create opportunities for people from all backgrounds to have greater access to our natural environment and bring a lasting change to their awareness and understanding as well as improved links to the natural world, which many of us can take for granted.

4. For further information about Access to Nature visit www.naturalengland.org.uk/accesstonature

5. For further information about the Big Lottery Fund, its programmes and awards visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk