By Andrew Myers

This is the first of a semi-regular round-up of everything going on in the Hastings Commons.

What is the Hastings Commons?
It’s a place – a collection of buildings in the America Ground, Hastings
It’s an ecosystem of organ-isations working together – Heart of Hastings, White Rock Neighbourhood Ventures, Jericho Road Solutions, Leisure & Learning, and Project Art Works (among others!)

Most importantly, it’s an ethos – community led regeneration. We aim to transform dereliction into community-owned vibrant spaces and homes that are community owned, collaboratively managed and affordable forever.

What are the buildings?
So far – Rock House, the Observer Building, 39 Cambridge Road, 10 Claremont, Rose Cottage, Eagle House – oh, and some caves! 

What’s going on then?
The renovation of the Observer Building continues apace, and public tours will be re-commencing very soon. The ground floor studio of the Rose Cottage Stables has just been renovated and is available to
rent at affordable rates to run learning events and workshops: hastingshive.org.uk/rose-cottage.

The Library of Things opened on 1st August at Eagle House (27-29 Cambridge Road opposite ESK). You can join from £3 a year to borrow useful things and be part of an awesome comm-unity self-help project! Visit heartofhastings.org.uk/hlot. And Retrobella Vintage host a market in the Alley on the first Sunday of the month – the next one is on Sunday 5th September.

We’ve also placed four Kickstart employees in organisations across the Commons, helping young people get back into work. And if you just want to wind down, Eagle House will soon be opening as an ‘open living room’ – a place to relax, chat and look out for each other. We’ve been working with Camerados (camerados.org) on a grand opening for Friday 10th September – watch this space! 

And finally (for the moment) we’re running the New Skills Old Ground project designed to develop digital skills and raise awareness of the history of the America Ground – get in touch to find out more: andrew@hastingshive.org.uk.

Happy commoning!

Home Ground Kitchen had been open for just over six months before Lockdown hit, but in this short time, the community food venue with a big soul had already acquired a fanatically loyal customer base. Covid-19 has been truly testing, but a series of creative pivots have proved HGK’s core mission of providing good food for both body and soul. 

First, the venue. The café’s plate glass doors give onto a surreal vista of technicolour graffiti, fire escapes and Victorian brickwork. It’s in a thrillingly edgy setting, tucked down a dank alleyway between the library and Rock House. “People love it,” says co-founder Savannah. “They think they’re in New York.” A gate at the entrance to the alley by local metalworker Leigh Dyer is to be followed by a giant frying pan to signpost the kitchen’s presence. 

Kate and Savannah
PICTURE: Danielle Castelino /oh magazine ohmag.co.uk 

Inside, all is space and straight lines, with a boho-industrial vibe. Large, communal tables represent Savannah Karr and Kate Rintoul’s belief that “food is about how you eat, not just what you eat. The simple pleasure of eating communally gives you greater health.”

With Covid restrictions, the venue now makes use of its atmospheric outdoor space by providing socially distanced tables outside, as well a high-ceilinged, roomy indoor venue that can seat 25 spaciously. 

FLEXIBLE ALL-DAY EATING

Home Ground’s cuisine is eclectic, global and well-priced. The original focus on lunch has shifted to flexible all-day eating, from 12 noon – 9pm, with small plates and bowl food, each month focusing on a different cuisine. The cooking is done by Savannah and Kate with a small female team and reflects their love and respect for the different cuisines they showcase. “Our customers say they get an adventure when they come and try things they wouldn’t necessarily get down here,” says Savannah.

As well as craft coffee and tea, they’ve teamed up with baker Victoria Made to provide cakes inspired by different ingredients, such as rose, pistachio and pink peppercorn cake, and then cocktails that include the flavours of the food on the plate – a Chai Old-fashioned, a Sumac Martini, a Morocoto (Moroccan mojito) – and wines expertly curated by Stephanie Goj of Graze-on-Grand.

Supper clubs are another way of bringing people together to eat; look for Facebook and Instagram updates. These can be hosted by chefs who hire the space, including a new Wednesday ramen pop-up.

HGK is also continuing to sell online for Friday and Saturday pick-up and delivery done by zero-emissions, pedal-powered Hastings Cargo. This strand was developed through necessity in Lockdown, when they decided to keep cooking rather than going on furlough. “Savannah and I both felt we didn’t want to shut the doors after six months not knowing when we’d open again,” says Kate. “It was good for us and kept us in touch with customers. We learnt a lot from it and have ended up with more confidence.” 

INSPIRING COMMUNITY ETHOS

What sets Home Ground apart, whatever the circumstances in the world beyond, is its inspiring community ethos. Savannah and Kate aren’t in it for the money. They want the venue to operate as a classroom, a platform for food makers, and as a neighbourhood kitchen. “I’ve lived here for 20 years,” says Savannah, 38. “I know and love this town. I’m into keeping it real. There’s a fine balance between gentrification and genuine improvement.”

Both having run cookery classes for the past five years, the pair knew there was an appetite for a new approach to healthy eating. “You’d be surprised at how many people actually do want to learn to cook,” says Savannah, who teaches adult groups through her community programme Bags of Taste. “You should never dumb down the food.”

They want the the venue to operate as a neighbourhood kitchen

Kate, 33, is founder of Make Food UK, which runs holiday clubs based around food and community. “Some of the barriers facing people on lower incomes include a lack of equipment,” she points out. “Some have just a small hob or microwave to cook on.” There’s also a belief that ready-made meals are cheaper, but this isn’t necessarily true.  “Learning to cook can have such a positive, life-changing effect,’ says Kate, ‘building confidence and happiness at home.” 

Korean food to eat in or take out

COOKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL

The Kitchen was in part funded by the Chalk Cliff Fund, an advance from Heart of Hastings, and Crowdfunding. In one month local backers raised £3,600. As a registered Community Interest Company, it aims to provide cooking opportunities for diverse groups.

• Training for aspiring young female chefs 
• Women’s Voice workshops; everybody brings a dish
• Cooking skill-share with refugees
• Community party or meeting venue with in-house catering: there’s even a film projector, donated by the Electric Palace
• Surplus-food supper clubs where people pay what they can
• External catering opportunities for the team and for others looking to get started in the industry 
• Upcoming outdoor barista school 
• ‘CookShop’ school sessions, working with local young people and children. In these restricted times, they’ve helped young people to produce cook-along videos on TicToc

Home Ground is also available for corporate hire and office parties. Last Christmas, one such memorable event was the St Richard’s staff Christmas lunch. “The teachers were like locusts,” laughs Savannah. “They devoured the food, and they were such fun. They put me in a hugely good mood for the rest of the week.”

There’s clearly something about that surrounding Gotham vibe that makes you feel you’re entering a portal to another world. Savannah points out that America Ground has always been a place apart. Once sitting just outside Hastings Council’s official boundary, by the early 19th-century it was effectively a no man’s land: a thriving, independent colony of stone masons, rope makers and lime kilns, with a slaughter house, sawing mill, tallow factory and gin palace. That sense of proud independence is just as strong today – and despite interest from developers, America Ground has managed to retain its slightly edgy, no man’s land vibe. 

Home Ground Kitchen feels like a natural fit. And given its hidden location, the project’s early success is entirely down to word of mouth and social media. “If you build it,” says Savannah, “they will come.”

• Home Ground Kitchen: Gotham Alley, TN34 1HA Hastings; 07914 840418
www.homeground.kitchen
Instagram: Homeground_kitchen 
Facebook: @homegroundkitchen

“Independents’ Day is a not-for-profit campaign that exists “to support and promote independent retail businesses across the UK all year round, with an annual focus on 4th July”.

In Hastings, the festivities are centred on White Rock and The Trinity Triangle, at the aptly named America Ground: given this name after being colonised by radicals in the early 19th Century because it did not fall under the Crown’s jurisdiction. Independents’ Day, Hastings celebrates our unique and extensive range of independent traders and is a joint venture, involving Heart of Hastings and various local organisations. 

Gotham Alley, Heart of Hastings Village Fete 2019

Over the past ten years it has been important in attracting footfall and encouraging both locals and visitors to support and show appreciation for the artists, creatives and traders who work here. Organisers hope the festival will continue to grow and become an important day in the Hastings event calendar.

There are usually a range of “pop-up events and in-store exclusives with live music and DJ sets, street food and barbecues”. This year things will be slightly different; although most shops and bars will have opened or be opening on 4th July, there has been limited planning time and a lot of uncertainty about what is possible. The organisers have tried to ensure that the event showcases the ‘independent’ spirit of Hastings, while keeping visitors safe. 

According to Caoimhe O’Gorman, of Heart of Hastings: “This festival will be a blended mixture of online and physical events.” A film crew from Isolation Station Hastings will be there to record the fun and local independent film makers have already made a film of independent traders talking about how they are facing lockdown and their preparations for future reopening. 

There will be plenty of shops and businesses promoting their goods or open for food and coffee. Most of the action will take place outdoors, including a big, open-air hairdressing event. According to Caoimhe, freelance hairdressers will use the event to try out (prebooked) ‘socially distanced’ haircuts. She points out that Independents’ Day encourages people to come to open spaces in the America Ground and Gotham Alley because these are much safer than indoor spaces.” 

Those unable to attend the live event can tune in to the live stream on Isolation Station with presenters Lily Kim and G’Mac and ‘surprise’ guests at the festival. There will also be online interactive games and quizzes about the history of the area.

For Heart of Hastings, Independents’ Day represents a launch event. It has four years’ funding to transform buildings in the community and is keen to get local businesses and consumers to imagine a better future. So come down to America Ground on 4th July: ask questions and share your ideas about your favourite shops, street art and furniture; talk about what you’ve missed and what brings you into town. 

As Caoimhe says: “It’s important to come together to think about shaping the future.”

Shelley, from Heart of Hastings explains: “Trustees are hard-working volunteers who help us to act fairly and do our best to meet our aims: creating affordable housing and opportunities for bottom up community development.”

There are four roles available, treasurer, legal specialist, grant making and fundraising and community trustee.

Trustees meet every other month and require around four hours a month to volunteer. They are voluntary roles, but out-of -pocket expenses are reimbursed and full induction is offered. People who have never been a trustee before or with additional needs are encouraged to apply.

• Full details are on Heart of Hastings website: heartofhastings.org.uk/trustee or text 07752 067379 or email shelley@heartofhastings.org.uk for a chat.

While all sorts of other groups have sprung into action such as Isolation Station providing online entertainment and Arts on Prescription providing creative opportunities, HEART has been busy working behind the scenes, setting up a robust response that can provide a safe and comprehensive local hub for practical support with people self-isolating.

The initial face of HEART was its Facebook page, but as one of its founders, Alastair Fairley commented: “The Facebook page has served its purpose of enlisting volunteers. It’s limited in what it can do.” 

A great deal of work has been put into setting up a website and despite technical difficulties – involving calling in the help of East Sussex College – it is now up and running at www.hastings heart.com. There you can find answers to what HEART is, how it operates, who is behind it, etc. More importantly, it has a form for people to request help, and currently contains information on such things as health and wellbeing and local food suppliers. 

Now up and running, this will expand over time to include such things as proforma letters to make it easier for people to apply for what they need and deal with the inevitable bureaucracy that will emerge.

A lot of work also went into such issues as health and safety: with so many people involved it’s important not to endanger either the volunteers or the people they are seeking to help. Work is also well under way to match people up with those needing help. 

Currently there are about 40 volunteer coordinators operating area by area. These are being kept local where possible to promote cohesion, some perhaps known to volunteers. Almost 1,000 volunteers have signed up to help where they can.

A lot of what HEART will be doing is signposting people to the right place for their needs. But very importantly it aims to react to community needs as they arise, trying to ensure that nobody is left out: for example, they are producing cards that volunteers can post through letterboxes with their contact number where there has been no response.

How to manage money is another big issue. When shopping for others, it isn’t considered appropriate to use cash – OK on a small scale but not when large sums might be involved. After considerable research, they have chosen to go with Pockit prepaid cards: it’s easy to apply for with a simple form and costs just 99p per month. 

“The whole thing will develop and grow,” says Alastair. “It’s been a lot of work to set up a robust solution, but once set up it will always be there for any repeat.

“And in the end,” he says: “Lots of people just want a friendly person to talk to”.

Within ten minutes of posting on Facebook, she was contacted by Alistair Fairly and HEART was under way. They set up the HEART – Hastings Emergency Action Response Team Facebook page to start a volunteer network for when people needed to start self-isolating and with a view to galvanising people power when it was needed. Within three days the page had attracted about 1,600 members and 500 volunteers. The reaction was very gratifying, although Kim admitted “It felt terrifying”.

The next thing to do was deal with all the data that they had collected about the volunteers and that’s where collaboration became essential. They had a meeting with Hastings Borough Council (HBC), Hastings Voluntary Action (HVA) and Heart of Hastings, who helped them became aware of and to deal with the bureaucracy involved – especially safeguarding issues.

Kim’s foresight turned out to be necessary:  with things changing by the day, the implications of the pandemic began dawning on the community – considerations like how to help the elderly, how to look after children with schools closed and feed them if necessary.

The original Facebook page was for gathering data. On 19th March, the project was launched into the wider community with the HEART Corona virus – useful tips page (scroll down the search page as many hits come up).

There are all sorts of unforeseen obstacles. It was considered useful to have a coordinating structure for each ward, but there isn’t a clear map of wards available and one had to be created (now completed). There was no website (now completed). Volunteers were looking for things that they could do (direction is now being given). Donations need to be kept safe and accounted for (HVA, which has experience in financial matters, has set up a bank account). Other ways of communicating with people other than through digital media is required (phone banking – organised phone contact – is being explored).

The ward maps were required because it was agreed to recruit area coordinators for each ward: these will liaise with those volunteering directly with HEART as well individual groups – and there are many including street groups, charities and statutory agencies. Work is well advanced for recruiting and safety checking ward coordinators, three for each ward, and all will hopefully be in place when this paper goes to print. 

But the main purpose of HEART is to be a central hub for information and coordination: information for volunteers and information for the general public. And as Kim pointed out: “One positive thing about people not going to work is there will be more vigilance as people will be available to keep an eye out and be good neighbours, an important aspect of community help. 

HEART will be providing regular bulletins to keep the community informed. These will be on Facebook, the website and will be organised through other media.

So far, the response has been overwhelming. As Sam Kinch from Heart of Hastings says: “I’ve been blown away.”

• For more information visit HEART Corona virus – useful tips page on Facebook.

Prospects for residential development of the freehold site of the former power station in Ore Valley seem to be moving forward. At the end of July, the site was put on the open market for sale by owners Seaspace, the trading name of ‘regeneration’ company Hastings and Bexhill Renaissance Limited (see Ore on the Market). Last Friday Seaspace issued a bulletin stating that the instructed estate agents Savills “have had a good level of initial interest” and have now called for proposals to be submitted by 30th September.

James Leathers, executive director of Heart of Hastings (HoH), the Community Land Trust which occupied the site for over two years before being effectively evicted in April this year, has confirmed that HoH will be submitting a bid by this due date in conjunction with commercial partners Bioregional. He added: “As this is a competitive process, we do not wish to go into any details of our proposal at this stage”.

However, according to the HoH website, their vision for the site “combines traditional community self-build practice with innovative building techniques and a community-led regeneration approach to transform a 40-year derelict industrial site into a thriving, community-owned, permanently affordable eco-village. Using our innovative Bottom Up Development approach we aim to deliver 77 homes, up to 100 jobs and lasting regeneration with wider benefits for the whole town.”

It is not known what alternative bidders, if any, will come forward within the time allowed.

The site is owned by SeaSpace, the trading name of ‘regeneration’ company Hastings and Bexhill Renaissance Limited. International estate agency Savills has been entrusted by SeaSpace to gather bids from potential developers. But whether it will attract any positive bids which trump the proposals previously put forward by HoH and its commercial partner Bioregional for the development of more than 70 “sustainable and affordable” self-build houses on the site (see Sore Valley here) remains to be seen. 

Particulars on Savills’ website make it clear that sale will not necessarily be to the highest monetary bidder. Proposals will be considered, according to SeaSpace, “not just on the basis of price but on community benefits – such as the delivery of affordable housing and the creation of local work and training; on the financial strength of the offer; on consideration of a number of site and proposal-specific matters including suitability in planning policy terms and project funding risks; and on deliverability to ensure the scheme selected has the best chance of regenerating the area”.

There is no set asking price; offers may be conditional or unconditional; and at present no deadline date has been fixed. “Exact bid requirements” will be devised by Savills in due course.

The background should be well known in outline to HIP readers. In 2015 Jess Steele and others were promoting an idea for an “organisational workshop” project, designed to develop skills of local people for building community housing. Cllr Peter Chowney, who is a director of SeaSpace as well as leader of Hastings Borough Council (HBC), says that he suggested the Ore Valley site to them as a good place to do it.  This led to the SeaSpace board agreeing to license the site to HBC for an initial period of 18 months, later extended, so that the council could in turn sub-license it on to HoH, a company of which Ms Steele is founder trustee. The purpose, in Cllr Chowney’s words, was for “HoH to take forward their ideas for developing the site”. SeaSpace also offered a potential grant of £700,000 towards development costs, though that sum was later withdrawn in circumstances which have not been explained by either the company or the council. 

HBC commissioned a study from “viability and affordable housing consultants”, Adams Integra. They reported back to the council in February 2018 that a sum in the region of £1.2m would be needed to cover ongoing decontamination costs and other expenditure required for basic infrastructure at the site. Adams Integra concluded that there was no economically viable model for development, whether by HoH or anyone else, without significant public subsidy. 

The story then becomes rather murkier. HoH are insistent that, as a community land trust, they were not only well-placed to bid for grant funding but did indeed receive favourable indications from relevant funding bodies –  provided that they could demonstrate ownership of the land. Cllr Chowney agrees that this is the case. But he says that at that point “the SeaSpace board decided not to extend the licence further, and to market the site”. HoH were required to vacate for this purpose. They protested, arguing that SeaSpace should have accepted their credentials along with Bioregional as appropriate community developers; or, even if SeaSpace were under some formal duty to test the market for alternative bidders, they could do so without putting an end to HoH’s occupation. Cllr Chowney and another director of SeaSpace, Steve Manwaring, who as director of Hastings Voluntary Action represents the town’s volunteer community on the company board, say that they both argued that HoH should be allowed to remain on the site while it was marketed, but that they were overruled by a majority of the board. HoH duly departed before the end of April. 

Cllr Chowney and Mr Manwaring both insist that they cannot argue specifically in favour of HoH’s bid, or “campaign” for them. If they did, “that would exclude us from participating in the decision on the disposal of the site, because we’d have a prejudicial interest as a supporter of one of the bids. So both of us have insisted that a fair process has to be established, in which HoH are allowed to present their ideas to the SeaSpace board before any decision is made”.

A neutral observer might well conclude that the criteria for assessment established by the SeaSpace board are in fact, with whatever motive there may be, tipped in favour of HoH. What other bidders are likely to come forward who will not only deliver affordable housing but also create equivalent local work and training? On the other hand, why do Cllr Chowney and Mr Manwaring regard themselves as barred from applying their knowledge of, and contacts with, the local Hastings community – attributes which you might think they had been appointed to the SeaSpace board to deploy. And why have Savills, hardly the most inexpensive of agents, been hired to marshall the process? One might invert Polonius’ remark: “if this be method, there’s madness in’t”. 

Rock House

On their website it is described as ‘a locally owned and controlled initiative to safeguard genuinely affordable live and work space across Hastings and St Leonards’. And that’s what they’re currently doing right in the heart of the town, in an area sometimes known as the ‘Trinity Triangle’ – around the three-sided location of Holy Trinity Church. 

Heart of Hastings is the lead body for an application to Historic England for a High Street Heritage Action Zone for the Trinity Triangle area. But here you can also see concrete evidence of past achievement and current projects – as well as imagine future possibilities – all within walking distance of each other. 

The development of Rock House, in nearby Cambridge Road, was a ‘proof of concept’ project. In other words, it was undertaken to prove that the vision could become a reality. And that’s what happened. Opened in 2017 Rock House breathed new life into a previously underused building. Its nine floors are home to living space, workspace and a community hub. And it runs at a profit without exploiting its tenants. 

12 Claremont

Community projects are complicated and although Heart of Hastings didn’t exist as a community interest company at the time Rock House was renovated, some of the same team were involved. Once set up, Heart of Hastings became joint shareholders in the project. 

The Rock House ‘proof of concept’ embodies the aims of Heart of Hastings as expressed by Sam Kinch, community organiser at Heart of Hastings: “To tackle the negative aspects of gentrification, greater income inequality and diminishing affordable housing, by providing rent-capped affordable housing and by using creative regeneration techniques to create jobs for people with barriers to employment.”

A similar process was recently used to refurbish a run-down office space at 30 Cambridge Road to turn it into affordable housing. It’s a ‘past’ to build on.

Under ‘current projects’ Heart of Hastings is an active partner in the development of the iconic Observer Building – an even more ambitious project than Rock House – but being developed for a similar purpose. This project not only makes use of local tradespeople but also held the second Organisational Workshop* ever to take place in the UK, providing an opportunity for unemployed locals to get back into the workplace.

Gotham Alley

And for the future there is the 12 Claremont Road project next
to the refurbished Library. Discussions are currently under way with East Sussex County Council for a community asset transfer, ‘a mechanism used to enable the community ownership and management of publicly owned land and buildings’. The plans are to develop this building as an art gallery and artists’ studios – as well as housing the first adult changing space in Hastings for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities or other physical disabilities such as spinal injuries.

Those who are really keen to get involved, can attend the Heart of Hastings AGM at 11am on Saturday 31 August. For those who just need to experience what’s happening in the area, join their summer fete on the same day from 1-6pm when the alleyway behind Claremont will be transformed into a vibrant and colourful local fete, right in the ‘Heart of Hastings’ – where you can begin to grasp the potential of this idiosyncratic part of the town including what’s happening in Ore Valley. 

• For more information about HoH, Organisational Workshop
and village fete visit www.heartofhastings.org.uk or read the *HIP supplement here

The exciting new initiative is a joint venture, coordinated by Energise Sussex Coast and Transition Town Hastings and supported by the Foreshore Trust and the EU-funded Climate Change Active Neighbourhoods project.

Green campaigning groups in Hastings are among the most well established in the South-East and the festival aims to showcase their diversity and promote networking and mutual support. Its organisers promise a wide range of events (see sustainabilityonsea.org.uk for details), including workshops and demonstrations, nature walks, open days and a Big Green Fair with stalls and entertainments at the Stade on 30th September.

Participants include Heart of Hastings, the Green Party, Hastings Furniture Service, Hastings & St Leonards Food Project, Jerwood Gallery and Divest East Sussex.

This innovative attempt to integrate and showcase local groups has already attracted interest from nearby coastal towns, such as Folkestone, Bexhill and Brighton.

Event coordinator Sarah Macbeth says: “Sustainable development objectives are a coherent narrative – we now have a global set of standards and in the United Nations the conversation is about how smaller communities can get involved in this worldwide movement.

“Locally we are already pursuing a lot of the UN goals, but it’s a problem bigger than any one town, not just plastic on the beach but garbage in the seas.”

Build a solar panel
Renewable energy is at the heart of the Transition Town movement’s objectives and the festival includes a day-long workshop on solar panel building. Participants will learn the fundamentals of their construction and walk away with a fully functioning solar panel at the end of the day.

The course (on 28th September) costs £80 and can be booked online (see below). There’s also a free introductory energy workshop (on 27th September).

Purge plastic
Hastings & Rye Green Party and Energise Sussex Coast will host ‘The Great Plastic Purge: Tea ‘n’ Tips with Timberlina’ (the world’s premier ecologically minded, bearded drag queen) on 29th September, at the Beacon – a family-friendly fun event offering thought-provoking facts and tips about our plastic use and how to reduce it.

Forage safely
Geoff Dann, the UK’s leading edible fungi expert will be leading a walk to help you identify what’s good to eat – and what’s definitely not!

Get on your bike
Cyclists can ride from ‘pier to eternity’ (Hastings to Bexhill complete with a mobile sound system – or check out cycle-powered generators at the Big Green Fair.

Put on your walking shoes
Join the ‘Old Ladies of Darwell’ for an eco-therapy walk; take guided nature tours of the Ore valley, share myths and stories in Powdermill Woods, stride out of the town centre on the Greenways walk, enjoy guided nature trails through the old Broomgrove power station site at the Heart of Hastings site.

Feed your head
Try an autumn equinox day retreat to restore your inner balance or discussion groups on alternative economics and an ocean symposium.

Get green fingers
Be inspired to get outside and grow something by attending the open days at both Marina and Lower Torfield allotments, and the Warrior Square station garden

Learn new skills
Perhaps a composting workshop, or plastic recycling; try your hand at cooking demonstrations, fermentation, plastic pom-pom making; create art at the Jerwood Gallery.

• For a full timetable see the advertisement on the back page of this issue of HIP. For more information and to book events visit www.sustainabilityonsea.org.uk

We hope you have enjoyed reading this article. The future of our volunteer led, non-profit publication would be far more secure with the aid of a small donation. It only takes a minute and we would be very grateful.

Heart of Hastings are looking for a treasurer to join their board of trustees. This is a voluntary role and would suit someone with a background in finance, an interest in housing and 1-2 hours a month to spare.

• For more info, find a pdf document describing requirements at: https://bit.ly/2MeivNn

We hope you have enjoyed reading this article. The future of our volunteer led, non-profit publication would be far more secure with the aid of a small donation. It only takes a minute and we would be very grateful.

Only a few metres from Ore station is an urban green space, an area of lakes and woods on the site of a former power station, once used to power the town’s tramways.

Participants on a recent Heart of Hastings (HoH) nature walk spent a June morning here learning of the richly diverse ecology and history of this hidden area, along with future plans for the site.

Walk Guide, community land trust environment and outreach co-ordinator Anton Hack, and a team of experts, revealed a wealth of edible and medicinal plants, rare trees, flora and fungi. This included: Sessile oak and Norway Maple, ‘Lovebinder’ Woody Nightshade, edible Turkey Tail and Chicken of the Woods sensile mushrooms and ‘bramble salading’.

The HoH community land trust plans a locally focussed, sustainable regeneration of the Ore Valley, to develop affordable housing using innovative building techniques. This will transform the long derelict, industrial site, into a thriving, eco-village. Using an innovative ‘bottom up development’ approach, they aim to deliver 76 homes and 100 jobs.

Working with Zedfactory, who would build the timber framed housing and have a factory on site, and Sussex Coast College they hope to create apprenticeships and jobs.

They also want to create two greenways through adjacent woodlands, in order to better connect the local community, currently subject to detours around it.

However, as some walkers pointed out, the latter plan is on hold as East Sussex County Council recently used most of the potential funding budget to fund overrun costs on the Sea Change ring road development.

Also, as reported in HIP in January 2017, part of this valuable, publicly owned asset, has already been sold by Sea Change – the overall owner – to a private developer, breaching their own constitution by selling it without consulting with representatives of three local councils. 

Similar nature walks, aimed at accompanied under 16s, but open to everyone will be held on: 7th July, 28th August, 11th and 25th September, 8th and 22nd October. Walks start at midday, lasting between one and two hours. Free refreshments provided and wear sturdy footwear and protection against brambles!

• For more information visit facebook.com/HofHOreValley and heartofhastings.org.uk/ore-valley

We hope you have enjoyed reading this article. The future of our volunteer led, non-profit publication would be far more secure with the aid of a small donation. It only takes a minute and we would be very grateful.

We hope that 1,000 or more people might choose to become co-owners of the CLT. The equity funds raised through the shares will help the CLT to manage and make progress with the two projects of White Rock & Ore Valley.

• Visit the Heart of Hastings website for more information: www.heartofhastings.co.uk

On Friday 9 December, the Heart of Hastings Community Land Trust (CLT) will launch its “Investors’ Collective’’ – an opportunity for people to invest ethically in local property to make sure it stays affordable now and for the future.

What is a Community Land Trust?
Community Land Trusts are local organisations set up and run by ordinary people to develop and manage homes, as well as other assets important to the community like small enterprises, food growing or work spaces. The main task of any CLT is to make sure these homes are genuinely affordable, based on what people earn in their area – not just for now, but for every future occupier.

What is the Heart of Hastings?
The Heart of Hastings CLT is a registered Community Benefit Society established in March 2016 after more than a year of business planning, strategy shaping and people meeting. It aims to create good quality affordable housing and workspace in Hastings, protecting our diverse neighbourhoods through socially driven investment and long-term co-ownership. By providing affordable, capped rents we are able to offer security to tenants who would otherwise be at risk of displacement from the immediate area. Our two flagship projects are: buying properties into community freehold in the White Rock area and supporting a community self-build in the Ore Valley. We want to see DIY regeneration through strong community involvement and long-term ownership. We can create and protect spaces in the poorest parts of Hastings so that people can still afford to live and work here despite the anticipated negative effects of gentrification. Whilst accepting change, we also have the chance to create it with motivated people who will collectively manage their own communities and neighbourhoods.

About the Investors’ Collective
This is an opportunity for local people who want to invest £5,000 to £50,000 to help the CLT purchase an initial property in the White Rock area and begin a property portfolio for affordable, secure rent. When the property has been successfully renovated and rented out, the capital can then be refinanced through a mortgage with a social lender and reinvested into the next property. If you are interested in attending the launch or want to know more, our investment information will be available from the beginning of December.

Everyone can invest!
The Investors’ Collective is specifically to raise funds for an initial property in White Rock. Soon EVERYONE with a minimum of £25 will be able to buy a Community Share in the Heart of Hastings CLT to support the projects in Ore Valley and White Rock. Watch this space tofind out more!

Please contact:
info@heartofhastings.org.uk