"Inspirational" Lewes environmental figure Julia Waterlow passes away after short battle with cancer

Julia Waterlow, 66, was a driving force in the development of Transition Town Lewes (TTL) to encourage low-carbon living in the town.

Sue Fleming of TTL said: “Julia was creative, fun and also passionate about inspiring people simply by showing them what other people are doing.

“She was instrumental in encouraging literally thousands of people to take steps in their own lives to be more sustainable.”

Julia helped set up the TTL Energy Group that led to the creation of local community energy company, Ovesco, which has subsequently installed enough solar power across Sussex to power over 1,800 homes.

She started the annual Lewes Eco Open Houses weekends, where local green homeowners opened their doors, inviting hundreds of visitors from Sussex and across the UK to come and see how they could make their own homes more sustainable and energy efficient.

Among many other events and projects, she also organised the Lewes Electric Car and Bike Shows, where local motorists and cyclists shared their experiences of going electric.

Chris Rowland, Ovesco director, said: “If we had an idea for a new TTL project, Julia would ask ‘and who’s doing that?’, and then she would organise everything and everyone.

“Julia was a powerful catalyst for the change we urgently need to see in the world.”

Originally qualifying as a chartered surveyor, Julia moved to Lewes in the early 1990s where she and her then-husband set up a smallholding with various livestock on the outskirts of Landport.

More recently she was a director of Meadow Blue, a major community-owned solar farm near Chichester.

Last year, she helped organised the Planet Party at the Linklater Pavilion, taking on the role of the ‘Green Goddess’ mistress of ceremonies.

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Matthew Bird, cabinet member for Sustainability at Lewes District Council, said: “I first met Julia in 2007 when she took part in a Low Carbon Households project we were running.

"Her enthusiasm then for tackling climate change and motivating others to do the same was inspiring. I worked with her on many events. I’ll miss the fun and determination she brought and the wider climate work she did in Lewes.”

A community celebration of Julia’s life is being planned.