CEO - 2025 end of year message

Chris Corrigan

Chief Executive 

Thank you so much to all of you for supporting Sussex Wildlife Trust this year.

With your amazing support, we have been able to deliver more for nature and introduce new ways of people getting involved in our work.

It was a big decision to pursue a legal Judicial Review challenging the decision to allow dredging disposal from Brighton Marina into the adjacent Beachy Head (West) Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ). Thanks to your campaigning and generous financial support, we achieved a landmark victory when the regulator backed down before the case was heard.

We have launched two new initiatives to inspire and involve more children, young people and adults: the Wilder Schools and Wilder Community Champions programmes. By offering more ways to learn about nature, we’ve observed encouraging signs of interest in becoming involved and wanting to take action to protect nature.

The terrible bio-bead pollution has taken up a great deal of staff time and effort, but the team's response has been exemplary. It was devastating news when bio-beads were found at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, but we are confident we will recover most (but not all) of them. The only way to stop this happening again is to ban their use and we have moved quickly to support a campaign aimed at bringing this about.

Sign the Petition to Bin Bio-beads 

None of our work would have been possible without your amazing loyalty and support. Thank you so much!

On behalf of the whole staff team, I would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and all the very best for the New Year.