Broken Paste Table
It all started with a broken paste table found at Poynings boot sale. Green Centre Creative Director,
Melanie Rees, recovered and repaired it. A former Special Needs Head Teacher she took it to the streets of
Brighton & Hove and set up class!
The subject - Global Warming and Climate Change.
Donated Car
Christened The Green Workshop, regular appearances at George St Farmers market in Hove led to a flurry of invitations;
schools, businesses, fairs and festivals including Shoreham Beach Dreams, Brighton Science Festival, BBC Springwatch,
Dorothy Stringer Environmental Fayre, Brighton Pride, etc. Without our donated car, attending these would not have
been possible.
Permanent Digs
"Where can we come and see you?" This was to become a regular question from the general public.
Followed by,"You need a permanent site."
We set about researching this option. We believed visibility to be a key issue so we looked at central locations
including the Laines in Brighton and George Street in Hove. Rents, rates, utilities would cost approximately
£30,000 a year. In real terms that would mean we would have to find £577 a week!
As an education project this level of fund raising is not achievable.
Mobile Library
A volunteer suggested we purchase a mobile library and convert it. We thought this a splendid idea and
contacted the council who in turn suggested acquiring a bus to convert.
We contacted Tom Druitt, Director of The Big Lemon, "So where does one purchase a bus Tom?"
Not only did we discover where to purchase a bus but we also discovered we can purchase two decks
for the same price as one! What a conundrum! You can purchase a 2nd hand double decker for as
little as £4,000 however a good conversion will cost £20,000. According to my Maths that’s £24,000,
which is nearly as expensive as permanent digs!
Finally
You wait for ages... then two come along at once While taking a break from the search for
premises or a bus, two came along at once; a fantastic bus and a fantastic premises. We decided to pursue
both with equal energy and leave it in the lap of the Gods believing that which ever one worked out best was
the one we were destined to have. Finally, The Green Centre at 39 Manor Hill, Whitehawk It has taken 2 years 7
months from paste table to premises. And so begins a new and exciting journey...