Help a Sussex organisation win £70k to support local communities

Based in Forest Row, East Sussex, Children’s Forest is one of five groups in the region in the running for a share of almost £250,000 of funding.

If successful, Children’s Forest will use the money to enable children to plant forests with their communities to help in the face of climate change. Planting trees gives children the opportunity to take positive and meaningful action, supporting mental health and wellbeing. Through our Forest

From Seed project the children gather tree seeds to grow into saplings in our tree nursery.

The trees are tended by the children and their communities to be planted into local Children’s Forests, enabling them to develop a meaningful relationship with the earth. When children are offered a hopeful vision of a bright future to work towards and given agency to take positive action, they are best equipped to to support healthy life on earth. Every vote helps to bring us closer to a brighter future for communities, for the climate and for the children of all species.

We will use the money to:● Create more tree nurseries to empower children and communities to engage in a positive solution towards climate change and eco-restoration.

● Offer inclusive community skill building courses in conservation, seed collection, harvesting, processing and tending.

● Offer community gatherings sharing storytelling, traditional crafts, creative arts, foraging and feasting.● Enable local residents to connect with local conservation initiatives, building a more connected resilient community.

● Encourage people to engage in the reciprocal relationship with nature, supporting communities to interact responsibility with the world around us.

● Provide nature connection opportunities for children.

● Plant forest for the future generations

● Support children's mental health and wellbeing, helping to combat climate anxietyOn Thursday 18 May at 6pm, Children’s Forest will showcase its project on ITV Meridian. To be in with a chance of winning, Children’s Forest is calling on viewers to support its bid. Voting opens at 9am on Monday 15 May at thepeoplesprojects.org.uk/projects/view/forest-from-seed

Voting closes at noon on Friday 26 May 2023. People can vote only once per region and will need an email address or mobile number to vote*. To support Children’s Forest and for Terms and Conditions please visit thepeoplesprojects.org.uk

Founder Anna Richardson at Children’s Forest, said: “The People’s Projects has given us an amazing opportunity to raise awareness and support for our work and, with your help, secure this additional much-needed funding. If we win, our project will make a real difference to our local community by enabling children and their communities to establish their own tree nurseries, to learn new skills through subsidised courses, and plant trees out in Children’s Forests where children and their communities will come together regularly to play, connect and tend the forests over the years to come. We now need local people to get behind us, to show their support and vote.”

Voting opens at 9am on Monday 15 May at childrensforest.earth/vote