How did this project come about?
Several years ago a group from Cliff Close (led by local resident Diana Windley) initiated a project to turn the unmade-up road between Cliff Close and the Esplanade into a garden to increase biodiversity and as part of a series of local Health Walks.
This was also to stop the unwanted long-term parking of large camper vans with their associated noise and nuisance during the summer months. The project developed and gained traction with STC but then lacked funding and ran into problems. Diana approached Seaford Community Partnership for help. Sadly, Diana later died leaving us with this unfinished project.
Roll on.. and in 2020 South Downs National Park Authority initiated a huge project encompassing the Ouse Valley from Barcombe down through Lewes to Newhaven and the estuarine towns of Seaford and Peacehaven. They wanted to make an application to the National Lottery Climate Action fund to look at ways of raising awareness to the threats of Climate change (flooding, drought, storms), the loss of biodiversity caused by these threats and suggesting ways of mitigating the effects by adopting more sustainable life styles.
We were invited to submit our project in the application as an existing community-led initiative. The whole application was successful (against huge competition) and SDNPA was awarded £2+million to develop important climate change projects within the South Downs National Park.
Who are Seaford Community Partnership?
Seaford Community Partnership has been in existence for many years and is a group of volunteers who’s aim is ‘to seek to improve the quality of life for the town’s residents by partnering with statutory and voluntary organisations’
See our website for more details about what we do and whom we partner.
Important to say that we are NOT part of Seaford Town Council nor LDC but our constitution means that we have a council representative of both as directors alongside volunteers. This is very important in our dealings with STC who is of course involved in all our projects within Seaford.
Cliff Gardens Project has a team of volunteers with experience/expertise in project management, finance, surveying, transport and roads, education, biology, gardening and landscaping. We have links with Kew/Wakehurst & Dungeness Nature Reserve for planting advice and sourcing.
We have been advised on specifications from experts on cycling for the cycle path and meander path, on the use of Corten steel from RHS Wisley and Corten UK. The garden has been designed by local metal worker and sculptor Christian Funnell and landscape gardener Gabby Tofts who created The Shoal installation at Splash Point.
The project has two parts: the garden on the un-made up road for educational demonstration and the use of Pump field for practical work.
