Suffolk Secrets to support more local environmental projects in 2018

Suffolk Secrets is urging local community groups to apply for £10,000 of funding before November 15th 2017 for any project which helps improve the Suffolk Coast & Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and east Suffolk area.

Grants up to the value of £3,000 (for part or whole funding) are available for any project that meets the objectives of the AONB regarding enhancement and protection of and education about the landscape features of east Suffolk.  The fund will also support activities which engage families, particularly those that promote out of season tourism or local food producers.

This is the second consecutive year that the Suffolk Secrets AONB fund has been offered, with £15,000 of the total £25,000 grant already allocated to eight community projects completed during 2017.  George Bradley, Suffolk Secrets General Manager says  “As the largest holiday lettings agency in the county and thanks to the generosity of our staff and customers, we’ve been able to help donate over £45,000 to the Suffolk Coasts & Heaths AONB in the past decade.  We’re delighted that this latest wave of funding will help enable local groups protect, promote and nurture everything which makes this part of the world so special, both for the local community and holiday-makers alike.”

The following projects were supported in 2017;

Blyth Woods – community woodland £2,000
The Wenhaston community has achieved the creation of the Grove Piece community wood, enhancing the biodiversity and natural beauty of the area while ensuring its sustainability for future generations, 

Long Shop Museum – community garden £2,000
The museum have transformed an underused garden area at the Long Shop Museum, Leiston into an attractive community garden using some upcycled materials and volunteers giving an opportunity to learn new skills, making it a great place for visiting schools groups and others to use.  

Beach Bonkers – Treasuring Our Beaches/walks and events £2,621
Ran beachcombing walks & events based around Suffolk’s signature shingle beaches to help people understand, appreciate and conserve this rare and fragile habitat.  “Fabulous walk with Kate from Beach Bonkers! Found two 80 million year old fossilised sea sponges!” Rachel E“So much small litter and it made me appreciate Sizewell even more! I am going to do a 2 minute litter pick every time I go” Sharon C

Poetry People – Lines from the Landscape £2,000
Provided poetry workshops in primary schools in the AONB area, working with up to 450 pupils and inspiring hundreds of new poems about the local landscape. These were entered into the 2017 Suffolk Young Poets (SYP) Competition, held October 2017.  “Thanks for visiting Melton. It was great for our children to have the chance to meet Dean Parkin and Jeni Smith and to experience learning from people who work with language for a living. I'm grateful that we had the opportunity for them both to come in.” Olly Fayers, Melton Primary School

Breadear - Area of Outstanding Natural Bread £1,324
Breadear documented, celebrated and promoted contemporary artisan bakers who are continuing a 2000 year history of outstanding regional breads set within a beautiful and productive culinary region  

Dunwich Greyfriars Trust – Website Development £400
To develop an appropriate website for the Trust for the information and education of visitors to the Greyfriars Monastery in Dunwich and as a resource for the publication of historical and archaeological information about the site.  

Groundwork Suffolk – Wild Villages £2,000
Activities to engage four communities in the Deben Peninsula within the AONB (Bawdsey, Alderton, Hollesley and Boyton), to raise awareness and increase understanding of the wonderful wildlife which surrounds them.  

Jason Alexander & Anne Gould – Love Suffolk Skies £2,000
To develop an online community and local events designed to showcase Suffolk and in particular where, when and how to experience the best sunrises, sunsets and other scenes across the county.  

Cllr David Wood, Chairman of the Suffolk Coast & Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Partnership comments “It has been great working with Suffolk Secrets, an important local business, this year on their grant programme, and through these grants giving opportunities to eight projects to undertake activities. We are looking forward to a further year of collaboration, not just with Suffolk Secrets, but with the wonderful people, communities and organisations that we can support in 2018 to improve the area for conservation and increase people’s enjoyment of the outstanding landscape of the AONB and east Suffolk area.”

All applications received before the 15th November deadline will then be reviewed by the SSAONB Fund Panel, with the successful applications being notified of grants in December. Full details available here.