The 2023 Rampion Community Benefit Fund is now closed.

The Rampion Community Benefit Fund is a community benefit fund set up by Rampion Offshore Wind Ltd and managed by Sussex Community Foundation. You can find out more about the fund and some of the projects supported in 2022 in our Rampion Community Benefit Fund Impact Report.

 

Examples of projects funded by the Rampion Community Benefit Fund include:

Sussex Community Development Association (SCDA) – Newhaven Youth Centre 

Bramber Brooks Nature Reserve

 

Care for Veterans

 

Community Transport Sussex 

 

Steyning Downland Scheme  

The Steyning Downland Scheme engages the local community, and young people in enhancing the natural beauty of 165 acres of the South Downs National Park for the benefit of the community, the land and its wildlife.

Funding was used to enhance the land around the new ‘gateway’ building, including the installation of an ‘outdoor classroom’ to boost the events programme and a permanent art installation, working with a local artist, students from Steyning Grammar School and wood from the reserve. Funds also went toward the training and qualifications two volunteers to City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 in chainsaw use. These trainees are now able to harvest trees on the reserve for an art installation and for ongoing habitat management. About 80 people were directly involved in constructing the features around the new Gateway. These included approxiately 20 members of the Conservation Volunteers, primary and secondary school children and members of the local Woodcraft Folk group. People benefited from the experience of working together and building relationships, whilst getting fit and having the satisfaction of creating new public features.

Friends of Shoreham Beach

Friends of Shoreham Beach Local Nature Reserve is an organisation set up to maintain and protect the special local natural habitat. They support marine ecology and enhance active awareness and understanding of nature conservation on the Reserve. Funding paid for a professional insect survey on the Reserve which enabled the group to gain a better understanding of insect plant relationships and assist them to protect both. This survey proved the importance of this reserve and therefore the need to conserve it. It has increased understanding of what needs to be done to stop the decline of insect species on the reserve and to halt the present slow degradation of the habitat.

Sustainable Sussex

Sustainable Sussex facilitates hands-on activities such as gardening, growing, DIY and other outdoors work, offering meaningful work experience in sustainability. This experience, education and employment is offered to people who find access to the workplace difficult such as those with learning disabilities and other needs. Their projects aim to reduce isolation and encourage interaction between varied sections of society. Funding was to support the planning and community engagement processes to help utilise a space within their farm to become a nature trail, outside learning space and growing area. Funding covered costs such as administration, soil testing, community engagement work and materials.

The group has been able to offer meaningful work experience to people with learning disabilities and people with mental and physical health problems. These are opportunities that they may not find elsewhere.

Sussex Sailability

Sussex Sailability enables disabled people to take part in the sport of sailing. This gives disabled people the opportunity to experience water-sports, learn to sail independently and take part in competitive sailing alongside able-bodied sailors at a club and national level. Ensuring the safety of all sailors and volunteers is a top priority for Sussex Sailability, therefore the funding was to replace and equip the safety boat and ensure that it is maintained to a high standard in order to provide safety cover to disabled sailors in the River Adur and at sea.

In 2018, 60 disabled people took part in over 300 individual sailing experiences.  This has given each of these disabled people an opportunity to discover the simple joy of being outside and on the water, to develop their skills and confidence by learning how to sail or to push the limits of their ability by taking part in competitive sailing alongside other able-bodied and disabled sailors.

Green Centre CIC

The Green Centre provides a program of environmental activities, including carefully researched information and advice, for residents of Brighton & Hove including reuse and recycling, renewable energy, sustainable water, local and sustainable food, sustainable transport, land and nature, community and culture, fair-trade and health matters. Your grant financed the first ever One Planet Living (OPL) curriculum which was delivered through their website, an exhibition and workshops. The aim of the curriculum is to deliver a coherant environmental message to the residents of Brighton & Hove. The Centre worked with  between 1,000 and 1,200 people every month through this outreach project –working with around 10,000 people across the project.

Brighton & Hove Food Partnership

Brighton and Hove Food Partnership are a hub for information, inspiration and connection around food. BHFP help people learn to cook, grow food, eat a healthy diet and waste less. Funding supported the costs of launching the city’s first central Community Kitchen early in 2018 – a space where people can come together to cook, learn new skills and enjoy food together.

The Community Kitchen has provided the city with a teaching kitchen that is well prepared for classes and communal cooking courses. It is fully accessible, purpose-built and has enabled them to expand their offering, ensuring many more people in Brighton & Hove learn about food, share food and, above all, enjoy food. One of the pieces of equipment that the grant allowed them to buy was an adjustable height hob so that people in wheelchairs are able to take part in the sessions. Since opening in May 2018, more than 1,200 people have used the space and the activiites have been supported by a team of 50 volunteers. People report learning new skills, finding confidence to try new foods or cooking techniques and appreciate the social aspect of their approach. Community  courses focus on low cost recipes that are high in fruit and veg and low in salt and sugar so people are encouraged to adopt good practices when cooking at home.

For more information on the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm, click here.