Around £10,000 raised for new Eastbourne community garden

Devonshire ward councillors gave £700 from Eastbourne Borough Council’s Devolved Budget scheme to the Seaside Community Garden project.

The project is run by Devonshire Collective in collaboration with Eastbourne Studio Pottery.

The council said the project aims to turn land outside 137 Seaside Road, which has attracted anti-social behaviour in the past, into ‘a vibrant, accessible and safe new public space for the community’.

Under the project, the garden will be designed and decorated with colourful and pollinating plants.

There will also be an accessible area with raised planters and a potting shed, according to the council.

Hampden Park councillors have also awarded Parklands Junior School £500 for new beehives as part of an eco-project learning about animals and the natural world.

The school also hopes to produce honey that can be shared among the children, according to the council.

A council spokesperson said, “Also benefiting from a £500 donation from Hampden Park councillors is Heron Park School which will spend the money on planters to enhance the school’s open spaces and involve pupils in planting and growing.

“Elsewhere, Upperton councillors have given £600 to Eastbourne Allotments Garden Society to buy seeds which will provide much-needed fresh produce for Eastbourne Foodbank.

“They have also approved £600 to Plastic Free Eastbourne towards the installation of a water refill station in Gildredge Park to encourage people to use refillable bottles rather than single-use plastic ones.”

Sovereign ward councillors have also given £500 to Wayfinder Woman, which helps women ‘find better lives by building their self-confidence and skill sets’, to improve the charity’s technology – enabling it to reach a wider audience.

The councillors have also donated £300 from the Devolved Budget scheme to Kingsmere Community Association to deliver Easter eggs to youngsters in Kingsmere and Kings Park.