Refill Eastbourne

05/09/2026

Invitation to join our interactive water butt project

Dear potential “interactive water butt partner",
This message will launch this pilot.
I hope you will wish to join our network.
This pilot is being launched at an auspicious moment. El Ninõ will apparently be influencing our weather causing extreme conditions over the forthcoming year. This means extreme drought and extremely high temperatures during the summer months. It also means extreme rainstorms during our winter months. This is where this project becomes crucial. Currently, there is already flood danger after heavy rainstorms in Eastbourne. During autumn 2025,for example, there were floods which Southern Water tried to explain away as “The first (occasion) has been a small number of isolated flooding incidents, caused by intense rainfall."
Although this project will help Southern Water to reduce potential flooding dangers, they have to date refused to support it financially, even though they have funds set aside for such initiatives. Nevertheless, this should help them and everyone! Eastbourne has already begun a project in partnership with the Blue Heart project and with some funding from Southern Water in 2024: https://ourrainwater.com/eastbourne-slow-the-flow
I have a link to the Met Office through a “Hazard Management” group which I have joined. Once the Met Office has predicted that a rainstorm is coming our way, which they can do several weeks beforehand, I will alert all participants using email or text. Once you receive this alert you will respond by releasing as much water as you wish to empty in order to provide space for the expected storm water. This will divert the water into the water butt rather than directly into the drains where it might have caused damage. When you have released a volume of water, you will agree to send in the figure for the approximate total amount of water you have released. The water would seep away, harmlessly creating space to receive the upcoming storm water. This will reduce the danger of local flash flooding and flooding lower down in Eastbourne. It will also enable participants to feel a collective responsibility and thereby have a feeling of empowerment while helping the wider community. We are inviting all Meads residents and users but if you wish to take part from anywhere in the country, you are welcome to do so, Please share this invitation across your own network of contacts. The more participants the greater the impact. Your email addresses and any shared data will be GDPR compliant.
Please return this proforma, once completed, to [email protected]:

I am willing to take part in this pilot project: yes/no
If "yes", please continue:
Name:
Postcode:
Email address:
Phone number:
Altitude (use this link if you wish:
Elevation Finder - Check Height Above Sea Level | MapTools.uk

How many water butts do you have:
What is the approximate total volume in litres:
Please choose how to be contacted, by text or email:
Please make any comment if you wish:
I look forward to receiving your response. If you wish to read up some background, please use this link “A Guide to Slowing the Flow”
Slow-the-Flow-booklet-FINAL4.pdf
or I have actual booklets for you if you prefer.
Thank you if you are joining this network that has the potential for us all to make an impact.
Best wishes,
Oliver Sterno

21/07/2026

Public Meeting 7pm tomorrow (22nd) at the The Lansdowne Hotel, Eastbourne. This is to update you all about our efforts to improve the environmental and social wellbeing of Eastbourne, starting with Meads ward. Everyone is welcome. Free event. Second Public Meeting: Meads Hall Saturday morning at 10am

18/06/2026

How is this decorated with balloons? Isn't this linked to the EBC! which has banned using balloons for any event associated with the Eastbourne Borough Council? Plastic Free Eastbourne has been campaigning since 2018 to rid our town of such harmful items, We sell environmentally acceptable paper balls to avoid using balloons. A backward step.

15/06/2026

Tomorrow Tuesday 16th June is World Refill Day. To celebrate this in Eastbourne ~ and Hailsham, please use this newly created QR code to access an interactive google map showing the location of our 16 Refill Stations. You are welcome to top up your drinking bottle with fresh, free water, "on the go". Enjoy!

25/05/2026

Use this time of hot weather to change over to using refillable drinking water bottles and our network of refill stations. We have about 70 where you can pop into a shop like Greggs or Lush and ask for your bottle to be topped up.
We also have a super network of refill stations around town, many in the form of "Dolphins". These are made from recycled fishing net taken from the Cornish coastline.
Use this interactive map to locate your nearest place where you can top up your bottle. Stay hydrated! This fresh drinking water is free! https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/viewer?hl=en&ll=50.88045154393894%2C0.25496548870021396&z=11&mid=1rYt3n83iSis9OCzZmt8xW4yQK8D0kbY

23/05/2026

Protecting yourselves at home during very hot weather

A simple way to keep your home cool:
If you have windows on the shaded part of your home: keep them open, so long as it is safe to do so.
If you have windows facing the sun: keep the windows shut. Keep the curtains drawn. If you have shutters, keep them closed with the slats facing upwards towards the outside.
Keep internal doors open.

16/05/2026

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/bring-back-the-ghost-woods?source=whatsapp&utm_medium=socialshare&utm_source=whatsapp
Please sign and share.

Dame Judi Dench's petition is getting handed in on Tuesday. Let's help her get as many signatures as possible before then. Add your name now:

06/05/2026

Here is our updated network of Refill Stations. We now have 16 places where you can refill your drinking bottle on the go. All are now working fully. The most recent ones to be brought back into use are the ones owned by the Eastbourne Borough Council ~ 2 at the Bandstand toilets and one at the Lifeguards Station. We are so thrilled and happy to have achieved these successes after literally years of negotiating with the Council! Thanks go to Andy White of ACWhite Plumbing and to Paul Collins ~ Operational Seafront Manager. Please share as widely as possible!

Here you can locate all of our drinking water fountain refill stations (blue markers), also, our 4 fishing line "tube" bins (yellow markers)

19/04/2026

Meads Wellbeing Working Group Workshops

There is a new effort to improve the social and environmental wellbeing in our town. This is a conmmunity led initiative by the Wellbeing Working Group (WWG) This is a voluntary group. We are starting with 2 public Workshops, where you can help to set this project in motion. The WWG would love to hear your improvement ideas about how we should proceed.
We are piloting this project in Meads ward to start with but we hope this will spread across the whole of Eastbourne soon.
Please join us on either of these 2 options:
Monday 1st June at 6pm in Meads Hall
Monday 8th June at 6pm in the Hydro Hotel
Everyone is welcome.
Oliver Sterno, for the WWG

19/04/2026

Meads Wellbeing Working Group Workshops

There is a new effort to improve the social and environmental wellbeing in our town. This is a community led initiative by the Wellbeing Working Group (WWG) This is a voluntary group. We are starting with 2 public Workshops, where you can help to set this project in motion. The WWG would love to hear your improvement ideas about how we should proceed.
We are piloting this project in Meads ward to start with but we hope this will spread across the whole of Eastbourne soon.
Please join us on either of these 2 options:
Monday 1st June at 6pm in Meads Hall
Monday 8th June at 6pm in the Hydro Hotel
Everyone is welcome.
Oliver Sterno, for the WWG