About us
Our story
Fairer World Lindfield (FWL) is a climate and environmental action group based in Mid Sussex established in 2019, which aims to raise awareness and encourage individual and collective action to combat the climate and ecological crisis. By promoting options for more sustainable choices and taking small steps, our hope is to play our part in mitigating and adapting to climate change with a local voice and a vision for a fairer world for future generations.
Why we exist
Climate change is the crisis of our lifetime. It’s the defining issue of today’s world.
It is imperative that all humans look to reduce their impact and help drive social value. We want to raise awareness of how people can change their behaviour so that, in turn, they can reduce their footprint on the planet. It is these choices, these fundamental shifts, that can drive the change required.
What does this actually mean?
Every person on this planet creates a carbon footprint through the actions they take on a daily basis. Human activities have added billions of tonnes of carbon to the atmosphere over the past 200 years, which is warming the planet and making our climate change dramatically.
Fundamental changes in the way that we all consume / live / travel, will make a massive impact.
What we do
As a group, we look to grow awareness of the climate crisis through discussions, events and education.
The main efforts include curating, creating and hosting events to educate and inspire people to reduce their impact on the planet through making more sustainable choices. See below for our timeline for the types of past events.
We also attend local schools to talk to the kids about Fairtrade and the wider climate challenges. These are typically a couple of our steering group members who attend a school and stand up in front of a group/year and talk about the impact, the opportunities and also, what the kids can be thinking about and doing differently in order to educate them further on the task at hand.
We are involved with a lot of groups including Mid Sussex Voluntary Action and have spoken at a number of meetings of policymakers including Lindfield Parish Council, Haywards Heath Town Council and Mid Sussex District Council meetings.
THE STEERING GROUP
CHRIS LEE
Chris has worked over many years initiating projects in community groups through life skills programmes. Her passion is for encouraging personal and collective change. Chris is originally from London and moved to Lindfield ten years ago thereafter enabling Lindfield to be accredited as a Fairtrade Village which led to the start-up of Fairer World Lindfield. Chris has nine grandchildren who are keen green advocates.
PETER DESMOND
Peter has been involved in Sustainability and Climate Change for many years with an emphasis on the Circular Economy, particularly in Africa. He is now based in Lindfield and lived in South Africa for four years in the 1980s.
RICHARD PAINTER
Richard is a retired primary school teacher and has lived in Lindfield since 1987. He has been involved with Fairer World Lindfield since its launch. Alongside FWL he has helped to lead an environmental group at All Saints Church which has gained a bronze Eco-Church award as well as becoming a Fair Trade church. He volunteers at the monthly Lindfield Repair Café. He would love to leave a more just and sustainable world, not only to his children and grandchildren, but to his global neighbours.
HANNAH LAFLIN
Hannah is a primary school teacher at a local independent school where she co-leads the Eco-Warriors group for children in Year 1-8. Hannah has lived in Haywards Heath for the past 9 years and been part of Fairer World Lindfield from the beginning. She is a Christian of a local church in Lindfield and believes that we are called to be good stewards of our planet and to look after it while we’re here and do everything we can ourselves but also to encourage others to do the same in a supportive, non-judgemental way. Small steps day by day, learning from each other.
JAMES SKILICORN
James is a retired primary teacher. He has lived in Lindfield since 1985. His interests are: wildlife, photography, lino-printing, Victorian stained glass and storytelling. He has always been passionate about wildlife and this has fuelled his resolve to raise awareness about climate related issues. He has developed a keen interest in soil health and he has given several talks and demonstrations about the vital roles that earthworms play in soil.
LOUISE DOWNEY
Louise has been working in climate and sustainability for over 10 years in both the private and public sector. She lives in Lindfield and has been a member of FWL since 2019. Louise is keen to help people find the positive changes they can make to tackle climate change and protect the environment through their home and work life.
NICKY HOLBROOK
Nicky is a Sports Massage Therapist and has lived in Lindfield for over 20 years. She loves the great outdoors and is passionate about changing “the way we do things” to protect our environment for future generations. She is a keen gardener and constantly exploring ways to encourage greater wildlife and biodiversity in our local area. Nicky also represents Fairer World Lindfield at Greener Lindfield meetings and initiatives.
MAGGIE LLOYD
Maggie has been a member of Fairer World Lindfield (FWL) for approximately 4 years and enjoys helping fund raise and putting on events. As co-Secretary she was instrumental in raising generous donations from both Lindfield Parish Council (LPC) and Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) to fund the website, to help bring awareness and promote sustainability in the local community. Maggie is a big supporter of Fill Good and Ounce helping to reduce her carbon footprint at home. She is also involved in organising events for Lindfield Arts Festival, providing fun experiences for the community through Art & Craft fairs and music events.
JEN HILEY
Originally from Yorkshire, Jen has lived in the village for 8+ years. Jen is a mum, assistant scout leader and works for a climate tech start-up, GoCodeGreen with a mission to decarbonise the digital world in which we all live. Jen is passionate about helping raise awareness so that we as individuals, and collectively as a community, reduce our impact on our planet.
https://gocode.green
LAURA POMEROY
Born and raised in the local area, Laura moved back to Haywards Heath in 2021 after a stint away and joined Fairer World Lindfield while looking for initiatives that really matter. She loves getting out and exploring the local countryside and wildlife around us. She enjoys helping people to see that even small changes can all add up in tackling the climate emergency.
HANNAH DE VILLE
Hannah is deeply passionate about conserving an ecosystem that allows wildlife, plants and humankind to coexist in a more sustainable manner. She has been advocating for the protection of our planet ever since her childhood worries about the ozone layer in the 1980s. Her German roots have ensured an intense commitment to recycling at home, in the office and around the community. Unsurprisingly, she loves a good litter picking event.
Our timeline
The history of Fairer World Lindfield starting from its journey in 2015 with the launch at All Saints Church, Lindfield Tearfund’s “Ordinary Heroes” campaign which let to a “Stir-Up Supper” (looking at how we source our food) in King Edward Hall in 2016 which resulted in the accreditation of Lindfield as a Fairtrade Village in 2018.
FWL EVENTS 2019 – 2022
FWL asked Lindfield Parish Council (LPC) to declare a climate and ecological emergency. 18 residents voted for this proposal. LPC asked FWL to present this proposal to the next full meeting of LPC. This was declined but subsequently, LPC set up a Climate Change Working Group.
2019/2020/2021: Fairtrade & FWL stall at Lindfield Village Day
2019/2020/2021: Talks to local primary schools and scouts on Fairtrade
2019-2022: Lindfield Co-operative Food Store contributed Fairtrade projects towards Fairtrade Fortnight
2019: FWL held a Fairtrade clothes and product stall at King Edward Hall (KEH)
March 2019: Live “Fairer World Brunch” at KEH. Speakers and stalls from local retailers and eco products. The food was all locally sourced.
April 2019: Chris, Peter and Guy met with Sr Nicholas Soames MP during his constituency surgery calling for more action by the government on climate and environment to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Several members of FWL took part in the London rally “The Time is Now!”
May: 2019: Visit to Cockhaise Farm hosted by regenerative farmers Jeremy and Dan Burdett
June 2019: Lindfield Open Garden at 5 Denmans Lane – Capturing environmental gardening, Fairtrade banana smoothies and eco product table. Over 400 people attended throughout the day.
Nov 2019: Live “Your Climate Your Choices” at King Edward Hall. Speakers on responding to the climate and ecological crisis.
Sept 2020: MP lobbying training with Hope for the Future on Zoom
Feb 2021: Peter and Chris spoke at a Zoom meeting with Horsham Climate Café
April 2021: Maggie Lloyd lobbied Co-op Head Office about removing single use plastic bags in-store
May 2021: Peter and Chris attended Zoom meeting with LPC Climate Change Working Group
May 2021: Peter gave a talk to LPC on the Circular Economy
July 2021: Lindfield Repair Café – supported Trevor to establish the cafe which has now been running monthly for the last three years.
Jan 2022: Peter gave a presentation to Greener Cuckfield on the Circular Economy
Feb 2022: “Green Hearts Campaign” Presented Mims Davies MP with a Green Heart. Presented a Green Heart to HHTC Mayor at Lindfield Repair Café. Wooden Green Hearts given to Lindfield local shops.
March 2022: Talk by Chris to St Augustine’s Church Eco Group on Eco tips. Talk by Chris to Lindfield United Reformed Church on climate action.
June 2022: Esther’s clothes swap at KEH where FWL Eco product table
Nov 2022: Talk by Peter and Chris to Lindfield Horticultural Society at KEH on simple actions that members could take to mitigate and adapt to climate change
Nov 2022: Talk by Louise Downey to Lindfield Women’s Institute
CENTRAL SUSSEX CLIMATE NETWORK
Dec 2019: Organised first meeting with Hassocks, Keymer and Ditchling Transition Group & Scaynes Hill Sustainable Group
Jan 2020: Started up Central Sussex Climate Network incorporating 10 local villages and towns to create links, share ideas, etc.
Feb: Third meeting
April: Fourth meeting with policy makers – MP Mims Davies attended
June: Fifth meeting
Sept: Sixth meeting bringing together Town and Parish Councillors from surrounding villages and towns
Nov: Seventh meeting with Brian Kilkelly “Enabling the Change”
March 2021: Eighth meeting with Henri Brocklebak & Laurie Jackson on “Nature Recovery Networks”
May: Survey – 12 responses
June: Nineth meeting – Planning for the future
Oct: Climate action ideas disseminated to other groups in the district
CLIMATE CAFES
We have hosted 22 Climate Cafes in total over the past four years.
2020 LIVE CLIMATE CAFES
February: Stand Up Inn – Steering Group and “A Way Forward”
March: Stand Up Inn – First meeting with Jenny Edwards with card game on “Climate Collage”
2020 CLIMATE CAFES ON ZOOM
April: Saying “YES” to small every day eco changes
May: Quiz and Eco Tips with Chris Lee
June: Louise Downey on Waste & Recycling plus Cavan Wood, Linda Grace (LPC) and Richard Nicholson (Haywards Heath Town Council)
July: Geoff Barnard of Greening Steyning on 2030 Project “Build Back Better”
Sept: Tony Whitbread President Sussex Wildlife Trust “Your Better Nature”
Oct: Showing of the film “2040”
Nov: Carrie Court, Founder of Sussex Green Living, and Zaqiya Cajee Founder of SwopItUp, avoiding fast fashion advocate
2021 CLIMATE CAFES ON ZOOM
Jan: Film “Kiss the Ground” and talk by Cockhaise farmer Dan Burdett
Feb: Making your money matter – Peter Desmond & Guy Rowlands
March: Grow your own fruit & veg – Andrew Nunn
April: Journey to an eco-friendly & sustainable lifestyle – Hannah Laflin
May: “The Wonderful Life in your Back Garden” – James Skillicorn
June: Peter Desmond on the Circular Economy
July: “Resetting – Climate Conversations” – Various speakers
Sept: Great Big Green Week*
Nov: Author Jeremy Williams on “Climate Justice”
*GREAT BIG GREEN WEEK ON ZOOM
Monday: Peter Desmond on Setting the Scene for COP26 and LPC Climate Action Working Group with Q&A.
Tuesday: Vegetarian and Vegan Cooking Demonstration
Wednesday: Billie Anderson from International Aid Agency Tearfund on their work on how the climate and ecological emergency is affecting the Global South
Thursday a.m. Live! A gentle walk-through Lindfield by James Skillicorn and Maggie Lloyd
Thursday p.m. “Green Energy in your Home” with Nick Owens
Friday: Author Jen Gale on “The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide”
Saturday p.m.: Live! Visit to Cockhaise Farm hosted by regenerative farmer, Dan Burdett
Saturday eve: Zoom showing of the film “The Race Is On”
2022 CLIMATE CAFES on ZOOM
Feb: Louise Downey on “Know your Carbon Footprint”
March: Tony Whitbread President of Sussex Wildlife Trust on “The Life of Trees”
2022 LIVE EVENTS
May: Author Isabel Losada on “Joyful Environmentalist”
Nov: “Energy Help Desk” – Stand Up Inn