From the Rother Environmental Group (REG) newsletter
Our next REG talk is at 7:30pm on Tuesday, February 23, when we are delighted to have Oliver Sterno, community leader of Plastic Free Eastbourne and co-ordinator Refill Eastbourne, talk on Plastic Free Eastbourne – encouraging more efforts? The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81751473319?pwd=b2FZS3oxNGlUQ2FNMnFPQWlRcFMxdz09
Oliver will describe their various initiatives and activities and how he got the whole project going. They have set up water fountains, or refill stations, to cut use of plastic bottles. Their mascot, the “Beach Man’” in the image above, is made of debris. Hundreds of volunteers have come forward to adopt and clean up rubbish on every one of the beaches along the seafront.
Eastbourne has joined a network of communities across the UK who are leading the way to tackle throw away plastic at source. The town has been awarded Plastic Free Community status by marine conservation charity, Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), in recognition of the work it has done to start reducing the impact of single-use plastic on the environment. Oliver will suggest ways that small communities in villages, and small towns, could set up a plastic free programme.
Please join us on Zoom from 7:15pm onwards. The talk will start at 7:30pm, and there will be plenty of time for Q&A and discussion afterwards. We invite you to send in questions beforehand to info@rotherenvironmental.org.uk.
Sussex Wildlife Trust
Other local environmental talks you may wish to sign up for include Sussex Wildlife Trust who are running a series of online talks. There are seven talks planned between February 10 and 24 covering such things as moths, the marine environment and the hidden world in the garden. Well worth checking out. If you enjoy them then consider becoming a member (from £3.75 per month).
You can support the great work they are doing in and around Rother at their reserves at Rye Harbour and Marline Valley, Hastings (and another 10 reserves across Sussex).
Bexhill Environmental Group are planning a presentation on the Garden Jungle by Dave Goulson, 7:30pm, Monday 22nd March. Full details in our next newsletter. Members may recall that Dave (a professor of Biology at Sussex University) gave an excellent talk to REG a few years ago about bees.
This talk about the Garden Jungle will no doubt complement the one that David Bentley gave to REG on garden invertebrates at our last AGM. To whet your appetite take a look at Dave’s Ted Talk on ‘Why we all need to love insects’ on YouTube; or have a read of his latest book ‘The Garden Jungle’.
Renewing REG
Renewal of annual subscriptions: Many thanks to all of you who have renewed your subscription this year. Those who have can ignore the next bit as it is a gentle reminder to those who have not yet. We hope that you will agree that the programme that has been put on for this year and the opportunity that the group gives to discuss environmental matters with other like-minded people is well worth the modest subscription (£10 or £5 for those on lower incomes). In which case why not renew? You have a choice of three ways of paying:
1. By sending a cheque (payable to Rother Environmental Group) or cash to Nigel Jennings, membership secretary, 16 Love Lane, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7NE
2. By direct payment to the Rother Environmental Group bank account at the Cooperative Bank.
Sort code: 08-92-99
Account number: 65828735
Reference: Your name
3. Or, by setting up an annual standing order with your bank to the above bank account with an immediate payment and future payments on 1 December.
Source: REG
Image Credits: Plastic Free Eastbourne .