Over the past few months, Matthew has been collaborating with Ouse Valley Climate Action and local schools to organise the Big Climate Questions event. This significant event was held at the Marine Workshop in Newhaven on Friday, 3rd October.
The initiative involved introducing Climate Literacy Training to four secondary schools in the area: Kings Academy in Ringmer, Seaford Head School in Seaford, Peacehaven Community School in Peacehaven, and Seahaven Academy in Newhaven. Through this training, students engaged in a range of educational activities designed to deepen their understanding of climate issues.
During the training, students participated in a carbon ranking activity and a Climate Fresk workshop, both focusing on the real-world consequences of actions that drive climate change. The sessions encouraged students to closely examine the carbon footprint of their local communities, discuss specific climate impacts such as flooding and coastal erosion, and consider practical actions that could strengthen their communities’ resilience to these challenges. Ideas discussed included energy decentralisation, zero carbon transport, and improving water resilience.
The event also provided an opportunity to showcase the excellent work undertaken by these schools in progressing towards Net Zero and promoting sustainability. In preparation for the event, students developed insightful and challenging questions to present to a panel of decision makers.
The panel featured the CEO of the South Downs National Park, the Mayor of Lewes, a Lewes District Councillor, and the Assistant Head of Peacehaven Community School. The event itself was both emotional and rewarding, as students passionately asked questions and shared their visions for a more sustainable future, demonstrating both their intelligence and their commitment to positive change.