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Christmas comes early to South Downs National Park with huge donation



Christmas comes early to South Downs National Park with huge donation

December 5, 2024

A wintry Butser Hill by Ashley Chaplin

The South Downs National Park has received an early Christmas present with a big funding boost from OSB Group.

The business is donating a total of £90,000 towards much-needed nature recovery in the National Park, as well as helping more children and young people have access to learning opportunities in the inspiring landscape.

Split into £30,000-a-year over the next three years, the funding will help to plant thousands of new trees, create new wildflower meadows to support pollinators and restore wetlands to help birds, mammals and insects flourish.

The donation to the South Downs National Park Trust, the official charity of the National Park, will also support the Outdoor Learning Grant, which every year allows thousands of schoolchildren to enjoy an outdoor learning experience in the South Downs. Without the grant, many schools would not be able to afford to provide a school trip.

OSB Group is a leading specialist mortgage lender employing over 2,000 people worldwide. It has offices across the south east and some very close to the National Park in Chichester, Fareham and Fleet.

Next year staff from the bank will be rolling up their sleeves and volunteering to help National Park Rangers carry out conservation work, including protecting the National Park’s precious chalk grasslands, woodlands and heathlands that are oases for wildlife.

Jonathan Couch, Head of Communities Impact and ESG Communication Specialist,  OSB Group, said: “OSB Group is thrilled to partner with the South Downs National Park Trust. Their vital work not only protects our environment but also inspires young people to connect with nature, fostering healthier, happier communities. This aligns perfectly with our Community Impact Strategy, and we’re proud to support their mission.”

Robin by Corinne Kozok

James Winkworth, Head of Charity at the South Downs National Park Trust, said: “It’s the season of goodwill and this is a wonderful gift to this precious landscape that’s adored by so many.

“So much of the National Park’s important work relies on donations from businesses. This support from OSB Group will make a real difference, particularly to our fight against biodiversity loss through the ReNature campaign and giving young people access to the great outdoors with all its many health and wellbeing benefits.

“Many of the children we help are from inner-city areas with little green space and have never had the opportunity to visit a National Park before.”

  • The ReNature campaign is helping biodiversity bounce back in a big way. In 2021 the South Downs National Park set a goal of transforming 13,000 hectares – or over 20,000 football pitches – into habitat for wildlife by 2030. There have already been some major successes, including transforming 6,082 hectares – an area bigger than Worthing or Portsmouth – into wildlife habitat, planting over 50,000 trees and creating 100 hectares of wildflowers. For more information visit www.southdowns.gov.uk/renature/