Last week, the spring equinox marked the official change of season. There’s a renewed sense of energy in the air-longer days, softer light, and the promise of warmer moments ahead.
Spring brings more than just better weather. It opens up opportunities to spend time outdoors, reconnect with friends and family, plan a getaway, or say yes to something new. It’s the season of shedding winter layers, stepping outside, and rediscovering the simple joy of being in nature. Everywhere you look, there are signs of life returning: bright blooms, fresh greenery, and the steady soundtrack of birdsong. Nature reminds us that change is constant, that growth follows rest, and that there is always space for hope and renewal.
At the Sustainability Centre, we feel that shift deeply. Recently, we’ve welcomed a wonderful mix of new visitors alongside familiar faces-some from nearby communities, others from much further afield. For those discovering us for the first time, this feels like the perfect moment to share who we are.
At our heart, we are a learning centre dedicated to sustainability and environmental awareness. We work with people of all ages, from school groups and home-educated children to adults eager to expand their knowledge. Our aim is to inspire the next generation to become thoughtful stewards of the planet, while also equipping our wider community with practical, meaningful skills.
Our courses reflect that mission, ranging from creating kitchen gardens and exploring land management to crafting with natural materials like willow and embracing nature-led wellbeing practices such as meditation. Whether you’re here to learn something new or deepen an existing passion, there’s always something to explore.
For those simply seeking a peaceful escape, we offer that too. Our South Downs Eco Lodge provides sustainable accommodation options, including a bed and breakfast, hostel, campsite, yurts, and a shepherd’s hut-all designed to help you unwind while staying connected to the natural world.
Visitors can also enjoy our Eco Squirrel shop, filled with eco-friendly crafts, and the Beech Café (open Wednesday to Sunday), where you’ll find delicious vegetarian meals, homemade cakes, and great coffee. Situated alongside the South Downs Way, we’re a natural stop for walkers and cyclists looking to rest and refuel.
Our grounds are open to all, including a tranquil natural burial site set within peaceful woodland. Whether you come for a walk, a course, a coffee, or simply a moment of calm, you’ll find a warm welcome here, from both our team and the wider community that continues to grow around the centre.
The brighter days and sounds of birds singing provide the ideal landscape for our wellbeing courses. Centred on finding your peace through nature connection, these workshops create a sensory experience that invites participants to pause, breathe, and release tension from their minds and bodies.
By day, Jonathon teaches the next generation about sustainable living practices and the importance of caring for our planet. When he’s not being an eco-champion, he is a professional storyteller and speaker who’s trained in Bushcraft, Woodcraft, and Expedition Leadership. Over the last 30 years, he has researched and studied the folklore of the natural world of the British Isles, running many workshops exploring the deep spiritual practices rooted in the sister islands of Britain and Ireland. His practice is based on full inclusivity, working with trauma, mental health and wellbeing. For the past seven years, he has trained with Caitlín Matthews and other teachers on the Walkers Between Worlds Shamanic Training Programme, which has deepened his connection even further to nature and his ancestral lands.
If you’re looking to switch off and listen to tales from a previous time, our courses are for you. To experience Jonathon’s storytelling, join us on our Nature Led Meditation and Foraging, Fire and Folklore workshops.
A series of guided meditation workshops, each with an individual flavour. Jonathon will guide you gently through meditations and natural connection practices designed to restore your connection with nature and to bring healing to yourself and the land to which we all belong. We’re running sessions throughout the year, each with a different theme.
April: Enter the Wild Wood
June: Connecting to the Animal Kingdoms
July: Connecting to the Plant Kingdoms
October: Samhain
What people have said:
A really wonderful evening connecting with nature and learning more about our own indigenous traditions too. The guided meditations were fabulous! I'd highly recommend this workshop for anyone looking for a couple of hours escape - I arrived exhausted and left energised and rejuvenated!
Discover more about each session on our website.
A series of seasonal events, each one a special experience of wild food foraging, Celtic fire and folklore. Bushcraft and Celtic folklore specialist, Jonathon Huet, will take you on a guided walk to forage for wild food and impart his knowledge on different native trees in each season. We’re running sessions in June and September.
What people have said:
Awe inspiring! I don't know of anyone else who can hold my attention for so long... What a superb evening. Thank you Jonathon Huet.
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