THE LEWES POUND AND THE UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

We at the Lewes Pound believe in acting local and thinking global, to use the cliched but useful saying. We therefore decided to measure what we are doing against the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Below is our initial assessment of how our activities match with the SDGs. The numbers indicate if we think we are doing little or nothing (0), something (1) or quite a lot (2). We’d love to know what you think.

1. No Poverty “End poverty in all its forms everywhere.” Key factors:

• Donating Lewes Pounds to Lewes food banks – Colin Tingle’s bequest
• The Donate-a-Drink scheme at the Depot to support Lewes food banks

Score: 2

2. Zero hunger “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.” Key factors:

• The Donate-a-Drink scheme at the Depot to support Lewes food banks
• Promote the weekly Lewes food market
• Lewes Pound monthly presence at the Lewes Farmers’ Market
• Prizes for Lewes Allotment society given out in Lewes Pounds

Score: 2

3. Good health and well-being for people “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages.” Key factors:

• Encouraging residents to shop locally and engaging with local shops
• Promoting better quality food at the local markets
• Encouraging people to shop for seasonal produce thus reducing food miles and the carbon footprint.
• Supporting Tingle’s Way with the Lewes Pound purpose and local shops being an important part of the project.
• Celebrating the local culture in Lewes including its history, heritage and cultural life – attending bonfire societies’ annual fayres and the LP21 note, working with the Depot.
• Our social media activity supports local businesses as well as Lewes events and institutions such as the Pells Pool, Art Wave and local artists and craftsmen and women

Score: 2

4. Quality education “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” Key factors:

• Talks about the Lewes Pound including at Lewes Rotary Club, the Royal College of Art and a breakfast talk about ‘Beyond Money”
• Monthly stall at Lewes Farmers Market to promote and explain about the Lewes Pound.
• Print leaflets explaining the purpose of the Lewes Pound
• Facilitate student research on the Lewes Pound
• Engage local pupils on the design of the Lewes Pound notes.
• Promote the Donate-a-Drink scheme highlighting the need to support the food banks.
• Promoting Tom Paine and the key messages of ‘The Rights of Man’, ‘Common Sense’ and ‘We have it in our power to build the world anew.’
• Promote Transition Town Lewes and the need to de-carbonise Lewes and care for the local environment.
• Encourage people to think about money, where it comes from and how money can be used for good.
• Promote the Linklater Pavilion and their ecological educational work.

Score: 2

5. Gender equality “Achieve gender equality and empower women and girls.” Key factors:

• We plan to dedicate a new issue note to the role of women.
• Promote Tom Paine’s message on gender equality.

Score: 1

6. Clean water and sanitation “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.” Key factors:

• Promote South Downs National Park on the Ten Lewes Pound note

Score: 0

7. Affordable and clean energy “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.”

• Promote OVESCO and TTL on the Lewes Pound notes

Score: 1

8. Decent work and economic growth “Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.” Key factors:

• Promote shop local
• Support and publicise local independent shops and traders
• Support the Living wage at the Lewes Pound stall at the Farmers’ Market
• Lewes Pound membership of the Chamber of Commerce

Score: 2

9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation”. Key factors:

• Promoting local business through sponsorship and being sponsored, issuing points and list of participating local businesses.
• Locating issuing points at local community shopping centres

Score: 1

10. Reducing inequalities “Reduce income inequality within and among countries.” Key factors:

• Managing the Donate-a-Drink scheme at the Depot
• Providing a level playing field for local businesses by providing free support and promotion for them
• The Lewes Pound supports the Living Wage campaign

Score: 2

11. Sustainable cities and communities “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.” Key factors:

• Close engagement with TTL, Lewes Town Council, local businesses, local markets and Chamber of Commerce
• Input into Neighbourhood Plan with emphasis on ecosystem services

Score: 1

12. Responsible consumption and production “Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. Key factors:

• Close engagement with TTL, OVESCO, local businesses, local markets and Chamber of Commerce
• Considering for the next issue our support for Plastic-free Lewes
• In general, local businesses are more responsible producers and consumers – particularly traders at the local markets. Over 100 businesses accept Lewes Pounds and there are seven local issuing points.

Score: 2

13. Climate action “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by regulating emissions and promoting developments in renewable energy.” Key factors:

• Raise awareness of climate change causes and adaptation. It’s what we do.
• Close engagement with TTL, OVESCO

Score: 2

14. Life below water “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.” Key factors:

• Support for (LP10 note) and Supported by South Downs National Park

Score: 0

15. Life on land “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.” Key factors:

• Close engagement with TTL, OVESCO and local markets
• Neighbourhood Plan principles
• Supported by South Downs National Park
• Working to introduce Tingle’s Way promoting ecosystem services

Score: 2

16. Peace, justice and strong institutions “Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.” Key factors:

• Working closely with Lewes Town Council – as an issuing point and being a recipient of LTC grants
• Working with Lewes District Council by supporting Visit Lewes
• Promoting main Lewes events on Lewes Pound notes: Battle of Lewes celebrations; Mumford & Sons festival; Lewes Bonfire
• Neighbourhood Plan principles

Score: 1

17. Partnerships for the goals “Strengthen the means of implementation & revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.” Key factors:

• Work with partners including TTL, Local businesses including
• Harveys, Depot, Knill James, local markets,
• Depot and Donate-a-Drink
• South Downs National Park
• Cultural including promoting the creativity of Lewes on the LP5note

Score: 2