The proposed new Discovery Centre at Rye Harbour was launched at the Kino, Lion Street, last Monday, December 4.
Carole Nicholson, chairman of Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT) , welcomed invited guests to celebrate the recent grant of planning permission for the largest project to be undertaken by the Trust in its 50 years of nature conservation.
“A study commissioned by SWT in 2016 entitled Nature and Wellbeing in Sussex had concluded that caring for wildlife is not enough,” she said.” We have to engage people with Nature. Where better than the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, the trust’s largest reserve with its 300,000 annual visitors, to further the co-existence of Man with Nature?”
Sally-Ann Hart, Rother District lead councillor for public realm, culture and tourism, warmly endorsed the project in terms of its expected contribution to the local tourism industry, which accounts for 20% of jobs in Rother and earns £238 million per year. “Tourism and conservation can work together to create a thriving economy for Rye Harbour,” she declared.
Alastair Fairley, chairman of the project appeal board, spoke next. His previous experience with the Heritage Lottery Fund convinced him that: “This project stands out from all the others in its assurance of a successful outcome, given the start-up funding already in place and the level of support already being shown. The result of an application for EU funding will be determined shortly.” Details of the appeal are available on the SWT website.
Guests then adjourned to the adjacent Blue Cinema to watch a film of the Reserve, which combined drone photography with live sequences of wildlife. Reserve Manager. Barry Yates invited and responded to questions, and described the environmental credentials of the building design. He referred to the new book, The Shingle Shore published about the Reserve as reported recently in Rye News This was available, price £15, at the Reserve, at the Avocet Gallery, Rye Harbour and at the Rye Bookshop.
Photos: RHNR
Photos: RHNR