Discover Rye Harbour - 2023 review

Lucy Bowyer

Senior Communities and Wildlife Officer, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve

During 2023, the delivery of the Discover Rye Harbour project, made possible with National Lottery Heritage Fund, moved into its third and final year with a bumper load of activities.

At the start of the year we launched our Lost Words project, with local writer S Morgan leading on a range of writing workshops, exhibitions and a summer holiday treasure hunt.

Our work with young people carried on strongly, with lots of classes from local schools visiting; several work experience placements were hosted; we delivered teacher training; and we provided nature connections for many Nature Babies, Nature Tots, Wildlife Watch and Wildlife Rangers. We also delivered three John Muir activity weeks, where participants gained a conservation award from the John Muir Trust.

The grown-ups were not left out as we also hosted writing courses, local interest talks, weekly wellbeing walks, beginner’s birdwatching courses and our hugely popular Guide in a Hide monthly events.

Our community groups – crafts, history, wildlife, wellbeing and writers – continued to meet regularly with highlights being a ‘Pillbox Open Day’ in partnership with Sussex Military Research, and the craft group’s ‘Woolly Wildlife Exhibition’ for 30 Days Wild.

Heading into 2024 we have only three months left of Discover Rye Harbour, but lots of excitement still to come, with the launch of our 10 Activity Trails project, including an audio Poetry Trail, a Play Trail for families, and an accessible Nature Connections trail. We will also be launching a young film-makers competition and organising a careers in conservation event for 16-25 year olds.

We are so fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers supporting the delivery of this project, and all of our work. A big thank you to all of them.