Friends of the South Downs

🌿 Need help getting your group to the South Downs? Travel Grants are now available for wellbeing-focused visits!

🚐 Delivered by CT Sussex & partners
📩 Get a transport quote: travelgrants@ctsussex.org.uk
🔗 Apply: southdowns.gov.uk/health-wellb...

#CTSussex #SouthDowns

National Park rivers are at risk ❌

📉57% of water bodies are failing to meet ‘good’ ecological status

🤢254,808 hours of sewage were spilled in National Park rivers in 2024

No more neglect or broken promises - We’re demanding action with @campaign4parks.bsky.social

👉 www.cnp.org.uk/support/camp...

'You came and looked and saw the view
Long known and loved by me
Green Sussex fading into blue
With just a touch of sea.'
– Alfred Lord Tennyson
* * *
Chanctonbury Ring, a prehistoric hill fort on the South Downs - West Sussex, England by flindersan

This #WorldSuicidePreventionDay, we're sharing an important message: if you think someone might be suicidal, take action, interrupt their thoughts and show them you care. Visit samaritans.org/WSPD
Photos from the 17 mile challenge fundraising vital funds for Olly's Future charity supproted by FSD.

On Saturday, Friends of the South Downs supported the Worthing Five Peaks Challenge organised by the team at Olly's Future, raising vital funds during World Suicide Prevention Week.
It was a beautiful day of community and fundraising, well done to everyone involved!

That feeling when you’re halfway through your walk only to be greeted by a rain cloud….

We hope your walking isn’t being dampened by the spells of intermittent downpours we are experiencing! 🌧️

Some snaps from a walk from Hascombe to Winkworth covering parts of the Greensand Way Long Distance walk. Fancy joining us this Friday for a 6.5 mile walk along this route? Join us from 10:00 to 13:30. Send an email to enquiries@friendsofthesouthdowns.org.uk to find out more and book your place. 🥾

Our upcoming joint event with Friends of Chichester Harbour is a talk by the wonderful Michael Blencowe on "Auks & Orcas: a journey around the British Isles." ⛵

Please join us for a wonderful evening in Chichester city centre.

Ticket price includes arrival drink: bit.ly/3UAKo7V

Our South Downs for All Project in Hampshire is well on the way with school visits to Butser Ancient Farm, Weald and Downland Museum, and Gilbert White's House taken over the recent summer term, supported by NL Heritage Fund.
Visit the project website to read about our work:
southdownsforall.org.uk

Keep those sign-ups coming in!
Thank you to those who have already signed up and claimed their free Young Adult membership!

We've got some upcoming events that you may wish to get stuck in with 🙌
Sign-up today and get your free membership!
bit.ly/4nk1mVi

Upcoming FREE event!

📍Tuesday 19th August, online via Zoom at 19.00pm.

🦋 A webinar exploring Butterflies of the South Downs with butterfly expert @senizdoesnature.bsky.social

Book your free ticket here: www.ticketsource.co.uk/friends-of-t...

#SouthDowns #Butterflies #FreeEvent #YouthAction

Upcoming event! ‼️
Do you enjoy reading nature writing literature? Do you have a passion for the natural world and love our local landscapes?

Book our webinar exploring the life and works of Richard Jefferies, led by Chris Hare, local history expert

Tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk/friends-of-t...

Still time to sign up for this FREE webinar!

Ideal for those looking to work in #conservation and the #environment, whether you're already on a path into the sector or considering a career change.

We'll be sharing our tips, experiences, advice, and insights - not one to miss!

Please share widely!

Welcome July! And what a hot one it is already 😅

We are looking forward to our upcoming events, especially our online Q&A with @robsonpeisley.bsky.social next week! Keep those bookings coming in 🌞

Link in bio to these events!
www.ticketsource.co.uk/friends-of-t...

A photo of them there hills that Woolf also loved, I like to believe.

…the great hump of the South Downs, flowing in one wave along the coast’
—Orlando, 1928

Still a chance to book your place to hear Dr David Rudling explore life in Roman Sussex this Thursday at the Seven Sisters Visitor Centre!

Tickets here:
www.ticketsource.co.uk/friends-of-t...

Calling all young adults! 📣
Sign up to our free webinar for young people getting into conservation with the brilliant @robsonpeisley.bsky.social
📍Monday 7 July at 19.00pm online
Sign up for free tickets here: bit.ly/445g8pS

If any good omens fans would like to see the sorts of events we are offering our young members, we have got an online webinar exploring the work of young people in the environment sector. tickets are free and we would welcome your company! bit.ly/445g8pS 7pm on 7th July GMT (+1)

If anyone would like to keep up with what we're doing and see a stream of brilliant photos of the South Downs, feel free to check out our Instagram for lots of beautiful landscape photos! www.instagram.com/friendsofthe...

Free Young Adult Membership - Friends of the South Downs Help make a difference to your local National Park by joining Friends of the South Downs Free Young Adult membership.

We are open to ideas from young adult members about ways they would like to get involved. We have been working to protect the South Downs for over 100 years and need the voice of young people in this critical time for our precious landscape. Sign up here! bit.ly/4nk1mVi

We would love to welcome Good Omens enthusiasts to our membership, we hope you feel welcome as part of our charity working to protect the future of the South Downs National Park 🌲your support for our special patch of land does not go unnoticed 🤩

We are excited to announce the launch of our free young adult membership! With events, opportunities and experience catered to young people, sign up now to become a part of a charity making a difference to our National Park.
bit.ly/4nk1mVi . Look out for our first event announcement coming soon! 👀

An image showing the chalk cliffs from the Seven Sisters Country Park with a logo and the words 'love your south downs' at the bottom.

After Sussex Day this Monday, we're encouraging you to #LoveYourSouthDowns
We love reading all about your favourite spots across the Downs, and why they are special to you 🌅
We share a love of the landscape and ensure it is as the heart of our work to protect it❤️‍🔥
#SouthDowns #SouthDownsNationalPark

Talk by Dr David Rudling on Roman Sussex
📍Pump Barn, Seven Sisters Visitor Centre
🕒Thursday 3 July at 15:00pm
Tickets are £5 and include unlimited tea and coffee.
We hope to see you there for an interesting afternoon of archaeology.
Tickets:

www.ticketsource.co.uk/friends-of-t...

Your chance to have your say!

Don’t bulldoze National Park protections Join our campaign to stop the UK government’s new Planning and Infrastructure Bill weakening the planning protections that keep our National Parks nature-rich and safe.

The Planning & Infrastructure Bill is being voted on today⏰

Don't let Parliament strip nature protections from our National Parks ⚠️

Last call to write to your MP as they vote on the Planning Bill www.cnp.org.uk/support/camp...

It’s time to reshape the future of National Parks 🏞️

We have a once in a generation opportunity to transform how #NationalParks are governed but we need your help

Send a letter today - for nature, social justice & future generations ✉️ www.cnp.org.uk/support/camp...

It’s time to reshape the future
of National Parks
We have a once in a generation
opportunity to transform how
#NationalParks are governed
but we need your help to hold
Governments to their promises.
Join us & @campaign4parks.bsky.social
send a letter today:
✉️ bit.ly/reshaping-th...

Join Friends of the South Downs and Dr David Rudling, Academic Director at the Sussex School of Archaeology for a talk on life in Roman Sussex.
Tickets include tea and coffee.
🕐Thursday 3rd July at 3pm.
📍The Pump Barn, Seven Sisters Visitor Centre BN25 4AD.

www.ticketsource.co.uk/friends-of-t...

A collage of photos comparing a logo for the Society of Sussex Downsmen from 1923 to the modern logo for the society, now named Friends of the South Downs. Both logos are noted for their similarity in the inclusion of the round-headed rampion flower, also known as the pride of sussex.

You might wish to take a look at our original logo from 1923, the year the society was founded.
It was designed by Captain Bately, one of the prominent figures in the foundation of the society over 100 years ago, with help from his wife, Lilian.
Have you spotted a round-headed rampion in Sussex?