Connecting People and Communities projects

Connecting People and Communities projects

Find out what projects the South Downs National Park Authority is currently supporting which improve peoples’ health, wellbeing and enjoyment of the National Park. This includes education projects and making sure the National Park is accessible for all.

Click on the project title below for more details about People and Communities projects we are currently supporting, who we are working with to deliver the projects and how these projects meet the outcomes of our Partnership Management Plan. You can also see where in the National Park these Connecting People and Communities projects are on our interactive map (indicated in red).

For case studies and details of past projects, click here.  

• Timescape

  This partnership between the South Downs National Park Authority and Artscape, seeks to engage isolated individuals, in the more deprived areas on the fringes of the National Park, in their local landscape and heritage, through art.

  Working with existing community organisations and support groups as well as libraries we will identify and recruit participants that are experiencing social isolation. By bringing participants together as a group we will enable new social relationships to form and reduce participants’ feelings of isolation

  We aim to create sustainable interventions which contribute to a reduction in loneliness and improve participant’s health and wellbeing.

  This is a follow on from the initial pilot project Artscape.

  Partners: Artscape, Butser Ancient farm, Weald & Downland Living Museum
  

  PMP outcomes: 4.1 (Conserve Heritage), 4.2 (Promote Contemporary Arts and Crafts), 5.1 (A National Park for All), 7.1 (Improve Health and Wellbeing).

• Communities in the South Downs

  This project will work with 5 communities across the South Downs National Park to establish highway enhancement schemes which will address local issues while conserving and enhancing the special qualities of those villages.

  The enhancements could include village gateway signage, signage audits, planting schemes, traffic management solutions and parking management. Ultimately the pilot studies will work with the communities to generate a catalogue of measures which are highways compliant and support the SDNPA special quality to ‘conserve the distinctive towns and villages, and communities with real pride in their area’. This will be accompanied by guidance on how parishes across the park can use their resources, and CIL funding, to address local highway issues.

  You can find out more about how the South Downs National Park Authority works with its communities here.

  Partners: Town / Parish Councils, District Councils, Highways Authorities, Community Speed watch / traffic groups
  

  PMP outcomes:  5.1 (A National Park for All), 7.1 (Improve Health and Wellbeing).

• Ouse Valley Climate Action

  The Ouse Valley Climate Action project is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. The project area comprises the Ouse Valley from Barcombe to the coast, and the towns of Lewes, Seaford, Newhaven and Peacehaven. We are currently in the development stage of the project which will run for twelve months from April 2021. The development phase involves working directly with the communities and local groups to help refine and cost their plans, building links between the communities through action in response to the climate emergency.

  To find out more about the Ouse Valley Climate Action project, click here

  Partners: South Downs National Park Trust;  Lewes District Council; Railway Land Wildlife Trust;  Transition Town Lewes; Community Energy South; OVESCo; 3VA; SCDA

  PMP  Outcomes: 1 (Landscape & Natural Beauty), 2(Increasing Resilience), 3 (Habitats & Species), 6 (Lifelong Learning), 7 (Health & Wellbeing), 8 (Creating Custodians) and 9 (Great Places to Live).

• The PeCAN project

  The PeCAN project aims to develop and test a non-profit expert retrofit advice service by providing retrofit services to 300 local households over two years (150 in the Petersfield area), delivering:

  • Whole house retrofit plans, SuperHomes assessments, support with installation, monitoring of outcomes, and SuperHomes ratings, to a 
  • mix of able-to-pay and low-income / vulnerable households who are willing to promote retrofitting in their communities

  In addition, the project will build capacity of a passionate and dynamic community group to develop other projects that reduce carbon emissions and protect nature. The project will support rapid transition to low-carbon, more energy efficient homes, helping local communities to make a measurable contribution to Climate Change action, whilst also helping deliver on a Net-Zero target for the National Park by 2040. Experience and learning accrued from this project will be rolled out to other towns and villages across the SDNPA.

  To find out more about the PeCAN Project, click here

  Partners: Petersfield Climate Action Network (PeCAN); National Energy Foundation (NEF) and Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC)

  PMP outcomes: Outcome 2 (Increasing resilience); Outcome 9.2 (Supporting Vibrant Communities); Outcome 10.1 (Strengthen enterprise)

  The project also delivers on elements of the SDNPA’s Climate Change Action Plan – Programme 5 – ‘Working with our Local Communities’.

• SuDs for Schools

  This project aims to create an innovative, exemplar Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in Schools scheme in the TAP area (Moulsecoomb, Carden Avenue and Lewes). The project aims to demonstrate a suite of SuDS from small (rain planters) to larger scale landscaped SuDS to deal with water quality and flood risk issues, stimulate interest, awareness and understanding of the value and importance of clean groundwater and engage young people in innovation and solutions, linking with the school curriculum.

  To find out more about why Sustainable Drainage (SUDs) is important, clickhere

  Partners: Brighton & Hove City Council, Environment Agency, Southern Water, The Living Coast (Brighton & Lewes Downs UNESCO Biosphere), Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust, Adur & Ouse Catchment Partnership, BHCC Environmental Education Team (BHee); Sussex Wildlife Trust, Lewes District Council, East Sussex County Council, East Sussex Highways, Tech links to Robert Bray Associates, SuSDRAIN & SERT (South East Rivers Trust).

  PMP outcomes: 7.1 (Improve Health and Wellbeing)

• The WeCAN Project

  Project Summary: The WieCAN project aims to nurture and support the emerging Winchester Climate Action Network (WeCAN) to become a strong sustainable community-learning network. It will allow for people across the district to share ideas and implement actions that contribute to reaching net zero. WeCAN will build the capacity of communities to develop projects that reduce carbon emissions, generate renewable energy and protect nature.

  PMP Outcomes: 5.3 (Encourage Sustainable Transport), 7.1 (Improve Health and Wellbeing) and 9.2 (Support Vibrant Communities)

  Project Partners: WinACC (Winchester Climate Action Network), Hampshire County Council, Hampshire Climate Action Network, Winchester City Council and the University of Winchester

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