SOS 2019

Sustainability on Sea: over 60 events, gatherings and workshops!

This is the second Sustainability on Sea (SOS), a nine day festival – and this year it has grown and evolved, including many more events from Winchelsea to Bexhill, all connected by care and concern for our environment, sustainable living and regenerative culture. Firstly, we’ve listed some of the practical workshops and events – and then some of the creative ones. 

Practical events and workshops

Sustainable Homes – Drop in event, Saturday 21st September, 14:00 – 16:30, All Saints Hall

Advice & Help to retro-fit your draughty old house and save money!

Hastings’ First CAR FREE DAY,  Sunday 22nd September, 12:00 – 18:00, Eversfield Place
Car Free Day is a global event which invites towns and cities to experience the streets of their towns free of cars. (See separate HOT article on Car Free Day.)

Seahenge, Strawbale eco house tour, Sunday 22nd (book a slot), St Leonards
This is a tour of a private house described as ‘Hastings first straw bale house’ – slots must be pre-booked

Energy advice drop in, Monday 23rd September, Hastings Town Hall, 10:00 – 14:00
Bring your bill for advice on how to save energy and money off your bills. No need to book, just turn up!

Help stop the funding of Climate Change. Tuesday 24th September, Printed Matter Bookshop, 18:00 – 20:00
Find out more about the divestment campaign

Citizens Initiatives to stop the Climate Crisis, Tuesday 24th September, Silchester Mews, 19:00 – 21:00
A discussion on a range of approaches to facilitating local conversations about climate-action.

Energise Living Lab and Home Energy Makeover, Wednesday 25th September, 12:00 – 15:00
Kingston University present the results of their home energy challenge study. ESC guide participants through the steps to give their home a DIY home energy makeover. Booking required.

Offgrid Living, Thursday 26th September, Silchester Mews, 11:00 – 13:30
This is an introductory workshop for anyone that would like to create an off grid system for their shed or van.  In this workshop you will be introduced to solar pv, battery and hydro systems. Booking required.

Make your own DIY Solar Charger, Saturday 28th September, OPEN, 10:00 – 16:30
If you are interested in knowing more about renewable energy systems, this one day, very practical workshop, will allow you to create a product to charge your phone (and other USB devices) from the sun, that you can take home at the end of the day. Booking required, Cost: £75

The Big Green Fair, Sunday 29th September, The Stade, 11:00 – 16:00
The finale of Sustainability On Sea a jam packed day with highlights including a marketplace, workshops, speakers and activities for all ages.

Creative events and workshops

R ’n’ Pizza! Jumble Sale & Day Time Rave
FREE ENTRY / September 2112:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Tommy’s Pizzeria, 28 Norman Rd, St Leonards on Sea, TN37 6AE

Expect to find quality and vintage clothes & accessories (get styled by real life stylists!), artists’ books, badges and t-shirts, Jungle sale plants, Tüt.
Also Rumble in the Jumble 90s RnB, UK garage and soulful house from Lemur Beats DJs, Emwot and Beccy MC CrayCray + guest DJ, Pure Swing Jiagoo!
Special LIVE appearances TBC, Jumble fever cocktails!
Tummy jumbling east vs west Biggy / Tupac pizzas!

More details: R ‘n’ Pizza! Jumble Sale and Day Time Rave

Hastings’s first ever Car Free Day
FREE / Sunday 22 September 12–6pm
Eversfield Place

Imagine the seafront road with no traffic! With arts, crafts, music, planting, yarn bombing… Let us know if you want to join in with crafts/decorations, etc via info@sustainabilityonsea.org.uk

More details: Hastings Car Free Day

Big Green Storytime
FREE / September 23 from 11:00 am – 11:30 am
Hastings Library, 13 Claremont, Hastings, TN34 1HE

Story telling with a green theme. Come along to Hastings Library for stories and crafts. Suitable for pre-school children and their families. Phone: 0345 608 0196

More details: Big Green Storytime 

Women protesting Cruise Missiles, Hastings Town centre, 1983/4

Shout Out Workshop
FREE / September 241:00 pm – 4:00 pm
OPEN, 19 Grand Parade, St Leonards On Sea, TN37 6DN

Join in our Shout Out Slogan Making. Workshop which forms part of the Women’s Voice Greenham Remembered exhibition at OPEN.

More details: Shout Out Workshop

Paper collage workshop with Jane Robbins
£23 / September 242:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Wonderfill, 35 King’s Rd, St Leonards, TN37 6RJ

Creating decorative images from recycled paper. Join paper collage expert, Jane Robbins for a workshop that includes a brief history of the evolution of collage and guided tuition with all participants leaving with their own completed composition.
Light refreshments and all materials provided.
Jane Robbins exhibits throughout Sussex and her work is published extensively by museums, galleries and The National Trust.
Space will be very limited so advance booking essential.

More details: Wonderfill or Collage Workshop

Crafts and sculpture upcycling workshops
FREE / September 25 10:00 am – 12:00 pm & 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Ore Community Centre, 455 Old London Road, Hastings, TN35 5BH

Join Hastings Visions and The Man Shed for some creative fun, making small sculptures from beach combed and found objects, necklaces / bracelets from wrapped and bound scrap fabric, reclaimed wood planters. Most materials will be provided, but please bring your own beach finds. Also afternoon making bee hotels. No booking necessary

More details: Crafts and sculpture up cycling workshops

Wax Wrap Workshop
£15 / September 25 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Wonderfill, 35 King’s Rd, St Leonards, TN37 6RJ

Make your own reusable wax food wraps using soy and beeswax. An informal, hands-on workshop where you will learn how to make your own plastic-free, reusable wax food wrap using sustainably-sourced materials including up-cycled cotton, beeswax and vegan-friendly soy wax. All tools and materials will be provided; enough to make one large and one small wrap each. Light refreshments will be served. To Book: visit Wonderfill

More details: Wax wrap workshop 

Have Fun Recycling with Textiles
FREE / September 26 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
St Nicholas Centre, 66 London Road, St Leonards on Sea, TN37 6AS

Learn how to use materials to make lovely items for your home. Using materials, learn how to make items such as cushions for around your home. Have fun, be creative and meet others. No previous experience needed, open to all abilities.
To book please contact Michelle on 01424 423683ext 33or email: mhooper@fsncharity.co.uk

XR HSL (Extinction Rebellion Hastings and St Leonards) Choir Workshop
(Suggested donation £8) September 26 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Alexandra Park, St Helen’s Rd, Hastings, TN34 2LQ

A workshop for those yearning to sing for resistance, empowerment, connection and joy! Really excited to announce that exceptionally talented teacher, Sophia Efthimious will be joining us from Lewes for this workshop. We will gather to sing at the bandstand in Alexandra Park.

Art on Prescription
FREE / September 2710:00 am – 12:30 pm
Warrior Square Surgery, Marlborough House, St Leonards on Sea, TN37 6BG

Every Friday, you can join Art on Prescription for well-being taster sessions, including painting, dance, singing, clay, printmaking, photography and creative writing.
Booking is via a GP referral or by emailing: Tara.reddy@artsonprescription.org

Big Green Fair at the Stade
FREE / September 29 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Stade Open Space, 20 Rock-A-Nore Rd, Hastings, TN34 3DW

A sustainable themed marketplace in the Stade Hall. For those who’d like to learn something new, you can join crafts and other interactive workshops in the Classroom on the Coast or our programme of talks in the Shipwreck Museum, hosted by Tim B’vard from The Bavard Bar.

More details: Big Green Fair at the Stade

Also in: The HOT Planet