The Uckfield Millennium Green was established as part of a project to create 250 Millennium Greens across England at the turn of the Millennium, these were intended to provide areas of green space for the benefit of the local community.
The Uckfield Green is located behind Ridgewood Village Hall, and at 22 acres, is one of the largest established, it comprises of grassland, wetlands and woods set around three clay pits that were part of the old Ridgewood Brickworks.
The Green is less formal than a park and is kept as a natural environment to provide an area of rural tranquillity in an urban fringe area. One of its main purposes is to be an attractive place for people to enjoy, take exercise, meet others and be an area suitable for community events and celebrations.
There is a surfaced path that is suitable for wheelchair access as well as a number of secondary unsurfaced paths across the site that provide a variety of walking routes. Several benches are situated along the paths to allow visitors to relax and enjoy the Wealden countryside and there is a fenced off dedicated picnic area.
It is also an area where people can enjoy nature and wildlife first hand. Part of the Green is designated an East Sussex Wildlife Site due to the rich flora and fauna, including the meadow flowers, Great Crested Newts and of course the Greens emblem, the Green Woodpecker. The Green is owned by a community-based charity, which is managed by seven local Trustees, and it is completely independent from the Uckfield Town Council.
The Trust has no regular funding and relies on the generosity of the Friends of Uckfield Millennium Green, people who appreciate the benefits of the Green and are able to make a small regular annual donation.
Over the last 20 years the Green has successfully recolonised the old clay pits, so now a lot of the activities are keeping the continued growth under control.
There are volunteers on site every Monday collecting litter and carrying out maintenance activities, there are also working parties every six weeks on a Saturday morning.
This year, work was carried out to the tree circle to re-establish the original design of 36 trees in three concentric circles, repairs have been undertaken to the lower boardwalk and fencing around the picnic area, as well as the regular management of the meadows and the bramble next to the paths.
In October, 30 sapling trees will be planted to commemorate the Queen’s Green Canopy and looking forward, there is a plan to establish two new ponds on the site to encourage more wildlife.
People who visit the Green will see something different in each season; in Winter there is a mud free footpath and a variety of fungus to look out for; in Spring the meadows come to life with wild flowers and there is a white canopy of blossom on the Blackthorn; in Summer there are shaded footpaths and an abundance of butterflies and in Autumn the colourful trees, as well as blackberries, sloes and apples.
People can support this local green space by helping out on site on Mondays, joining the Saturday working parties, become a Friend of the Green or donating via the JustGiving page.