The Lewes Pound
New Lewes Pound notes will be launched at a celebration on Friday 3 July, at Harvey’s Old Depot
The new notes, which have been designed by local artists and students
from local schools, will be revealed on Friday the 3rd of July during a
celebration at Harveys Old Depot, Pinwell Lane (near Lewes Station)
from 3pm - 9pm. It's a community event, with live music, film, kids
entertainment, stalls ranging from local food producers to bonfire societies, a bar by Harveys, local food (including a hog
roast by Ben's Butchers). Look out for offers using Lewes Pounds. Read More...
The new notes
Following the success of the first issue of The Lewes Pound, launched in September 2008, higher denomination notes are due for release. Alongside the One Lewes Pound note, now with two versions designed by local students, Five, Ten and Twenty One Lewes Pound notes will help make Lewes Pounds easier to use.
These new notes will be backed by Sterling, as before, but come with an exciting new mechanism. To ensure that the Lewes Pound benefits the local community still further, five pence will be pledged to the new Live Lewes Fund for every Lewes Pound issued. *The Live Lewes Fund has been created to help finance local projects and initiatives , so for each Lewes Pound taken out of circulation (i.e. redeemed for Sterling) a five pence donation will automatically be added to the Fund.
*The Live Lewes Fund will be administered by the Lewes-based Sussex Community Foundation. www.sussexgiving.org who are part of the Community Foundation Network and independent to the Lewes Pound or Transition Town Lewes. The aim of the new fund is to enable grant funding for projects and initiatives in support of the local community, anyone who lives locally can apply. Read more...
What is it?
Essentially the Lewes Pound is a voucher or token, redeemable for goods or services with local traders and anyone that wants to use it. It is complementary to sterling, and by using it, we can all help support local producers and traders and raise awareness of the importance of shopping locally.
What else?
Unlike sterling, the Lewes Pound can also be used as a tool to help reconnect and rebuild the once vibrant web of local businesses and traders in the community, by bringing people together.Here are just a few examples of how it's being used creatively to encourage trade:
- Harveys is currently running a prize draw whereby each Lewes Pound in circulation is effectively a lottery ticket. Three lucky serial numbers are selected at random once a month and if you've got one of them, you win. See our website or Harveys window for details.
- Some local traders are offering discounts and deals for payment of goods in Lewes Pounds. A complete list of current offers can be found on the Offers page of our website.
- Other traders and suppliers have truly embraced the Lewes Pound and are using it to good effect, for example, by paying their own suppliers in Lewes Pounds, who in turn spend them with other Lewes businesses, thus creating a virtuous circle that benefits the town.