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- - Eastbourne Event - -

The Project

Live Better for Less is centred around a one day event where people can find out how to live happier, healthier lives while spending less money. Specially created to help people negotiate the challenges of an economic downturn, the event consists of an exhibition, with supporting workshops, demonstrations and a website full of useful information.

A wide range of information for all sectors of the population will be presented: from knowing where to access advice, information and support, to self-sufficiency, to where to find cheap or free leisure and entertainment, sport and fitness activities or goods and services.

The Exhibition

At the heart of the event is an exhibition spread over two floors featuring almost 40 stands. From beekeeping to a list of NHS dentists, from 'make do and mend' tips from the older generation to gathering wild foods for free, from weddings on a budget to skate clubs, from free CV services to Freecycle and cycling groups, an extraordinary range of organisations, agencies, enterprises and enthusiastic members of the community have come together to present the very best of what life on a budget has to offer.

No money has changed hands. There has been no charge for the stands and all exhibitors are giving their time freely. For the full list, please see the Exhibitors page.

The Workshops

The exhibition is well supported by similarly outstanding workshops which will be held in adjoining classrooms throughout the day. The Citizens Advice Bureau is presenting its new Finance and Budgeting workshops, designed to help people learn how to keep their household finances under control. Nafisa Fera of the Royal Anthropological Institute will be discussing the importance of growing, harvesting and eating our own food. A local enthusiast will share tips on keeping chickens. Cycling group BeSpoke will discuss basic cycle maintenance. For a full list of these and other workshops, see the Workshops page.

Budget Cookery Demonstrations

Budget cookery demonstrations from the upstairs kitchen featuring delicious, affordable dishes from Britain, Guyana and Singapore will be held from 12-3PM. Details here.

Entertainment

A range of free entertainment will be available throughout the day: face painting, storytelling, magic tricks, hip hop and basketball workshops, plus music from 'busking' musicians. Local theatre group Uptown Players, who are presenting Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' in December, will be in full costume, with 'Scrooge' opening the event. Details here.

Website

The www.livebetterforless.org.uk website will remain live for one year, and will contain regularly updated information and links related to living well while spending less. New information and entries for the website are welcome. Please contact us by email: info@livebetterforless.org.uk 

Live Better for Less throughout the UK?

Live Better for Less has been designed as a 'pass it forward' exercise. The organisers in Eastbourne will share the website and a template for the event with organisations in other towns seeking to hold their own Live Better for Less exhibitions. We are currently assisting groups in Hastings, and have interest from Winchester. All that is asked is that when a group completes their event, that the experience and information gained is passed to another town.

Background

The Live Better for Less idea began to form in the Summer of 2008, when English in the Community, a voluntary organisation working with migrant people in the South East of England, noticed that an increasing number of its client group were suffering severe economic hardship. The short-term contracts and low wage jobs of these people had begun to dry up. With many in this group having no access to benefits, reports of sofa-surfing and going without food became increasingly common. EITC was concerned that the migrant workforce, already some of the most vulnerable and impoverished people in our society, were facing economic pressures that had yet to filter through to the rest of the population.

Believing that it was only a matter of time before these problems began to manifest more widely, EITC consulted with Eastbourne Homes and CommunityWise to see if it was possible to present all sectors of the population with the widest possible range of information showing how to survive the dawning 'credit crunch'. Working in partnership, with the assistance of a dedicated committee from a range of sectors, the groups identified different kinds of information which could help people to live well during an economic downturn. The main emphasis was on ensuring those who needed help would know where to find it, whilst promoting a back to basics approach showing people how to live happier, healthier lives while spending less money. The project was designed as a 'people power' event, strengthening the role of the community in promoting positive responses to the challenges presented by an economic downturn.

Funding

The organising groups applied for funding to support the project which was met by grants from Sussex Community Foundation Grassroots Grants, the Henry Smith Charity, and 02. This project would not have been possible without their support, and we believe their contribution will help a good many individuals, as well as the community as a whole.