Stanmer Organics and Earthship Brighton
Learn about the work that takes place at Stanmer Park and how The Earthship Brighton was constructed.
Stanmer Organics is a community non-profit organisation working on 17 acres of council land in Stanmer Park.
The area is used for horticultural, agricultural and educational purposes using only organic growing techniques, as well as environmental art. Earthship Brighton is used for meetings, training, events and administration.
The Earthship Brighton is one of only two earthships in the UK. The award-winning ‘green building’ is constructed from waste car tyres and other recycled materials and uses the planet’s natural systems to provide all its utilities.
The Low Carbon Trust manages and provides regular public tours of Earthship Brighton to educate and inspire people about sustainable living and low carbon technologies.
- Stanmer Organics, Brighton Permaculture Trust, Brighton & Hove Food Partnership, Fork and Dig It, and Sussex Wildlife Trust are all among the delivery partners in the Stanmer Park Restoration Project and will be providing volunteering and other activities as part of the project.
Brighton Permaculture Trust
Apple Day at Stanmer Park is a free annual event (usually on the last Sunday in September) where people can eat fruit and produce from the orchards, enjoy juicing and other children’s activities, go on tours of the orchard and much more.
The Fruit Factory in Stanmer Village is a place where the public will be able to see the Scrumping Project process 20 tons of local fruit per year into juices and cider. The fruit comes from Stanmer, around the city - and from fruit the supermarkets won't accept from Sussex orchards. It is also a training venue and is nearing completion.
Brighton Permaculture Trust manages three orchards organically at Stanmer and holds the National Collection of Sussex Apples.
'The Plot' at Stanmer Organics shows permaculture in action. Here volunteers have created a forest garden on regular workdays.
Courses include permaculture, fruit growing and eco-building. Many of these are run from the Earthship and the Fruit Factory.
Fork and Dig it
Fork And Dig It is a not-for-profit community growing project practising and promoting low-impact organic horticulture on a beautiful site at Stanmer Organics in the stunning surroundings of Stanmer Park, Brighton.
Run by volunteers, the project grows organic fruit and vegetables in as bio-diverse way as possible on two acres of Soil Association-accredited land in the tranquil outskirts of the Great Wood that borders the South Downs National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Fork And Dig It supplies produce to the local community through independent retailers such as Infinity Foods, and through Veg Share, Brighton's first community-supported agriculture scheme.
Teaching and learning from other people and groups as it grows, Fork And Dig It aims to promote long, happy, healthy lives by cultivating delicious, nutritious and affordable local produce in a long-term sustainable way.
Stanmer Wellbeing Gardens
Brighton & Hove Food Partnership is coordinating a patch of land at Stanmer Park called ‘Stanmer Wellbeing Gardens’. This is a community space, shared by 12 groups. Here people can find sanctuary and nurture wellbeing by getting involved in food-growing, gardening, education and nature connection activities.
Sussex Wildlife Trust
The plot is known as The Wildlife Garden (or just 'The Garden'). It is managed and maintained by two groups organised by Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT), The Youth Rangers (16 to 25 years old) and the Wildlife Rangers (12 to 16 years old).
It started life as a field of nettles and has been transformed over the last few years into an area of diverse habitats. SWT has built a fantastic pond which is now full of all kinds of pond plants, amphibians, insects and other bugs and a "meadow in the corner" full of wonderful flowers and other plants and insects.
If you'd like to get involved, contact Huw Morgan, Access to Nature Officer. Email huwmorgan@sussexwt.org.uk or phone 07771 375 273 or go to the Sussex Wildlife Trust website.
- Find out more about Stanmer Organics and Earthship Brighton on the Carbon Trust website.