Sussex And The City

Aim

Support independent convening, podcast episodes, local events and updates, so Sussex voices shape how devolution actually works.

Who we are, and why we’re doing this

I’m Richard Freeman, founder Sussex And The City - a non-profit project we run to make sense of forthcoming devolution for Sussex & Brighton.

Not as remote policy, but as things that change people’s daily lives: transport, skills, business growth, environment, housing, culture and town-centre futures. 

Sussex is changing. 

With devolution and the debate about a mayor on the horizon, big decisions will be made that affect transport, jobs, culture and town centres. Sussex and the City is a locally-led communications project that makes those decisions better understood by the people who should help shape them.

We are convening the project to be as collaborative as possible, non-political, open-minded and rooted in evidence. We already run podcasts, bulletins and events that thousands follow each month 

The team

We’re a small, practical crew who do research, logistics and civic convening without the jargon. 

Core players on this project are:

Richard Freeman - strategic lead, podcast host and public face

Letitia Mc Conalogue - production management, bookings, administration

Chris Thorpe-Tracey - podcast production, music and editing

PLUS a small band of researchers, advisors and critical friends.

Our vision

We want a Sussex where joined-up decisions about devolution are shaped by organisations and citizens across the county - coastal towns, suburbs, small market towns, rural villages as well as the cities of Brighton & Hove and Chichester - not just the loudest or best-resourced voices. Small and big businesses, charities, educators and people who really understand their communities.

That means useful reporting, clear evidence and conversations that actually change what case studies and intelligence politicians and planners use. 

The podcast and reporting series are the engine for that: rigorous interviews, short evidence-led reports, live strategy events and community storytelling so marginal voices are heard properly.

How this money turns into impact

We have been running on a shoestring since May 2025.

Over 30 businesses and individuals have generously supported the project through subscriptions, by funding specific podcast episodes, or by donating resources.

We couldn't have done it without them.

But we cannot continue without new supporters and enough funds to cover basic costs for the rest of the year. 

Core costs we need to cover

Researching, booking guests and interviewing: £1,500 per month

Podcast production, editing, publishing, design: £300 per episode

Updating the website, mailing list, weekly newsletter, blogs: £1,000 per month

We ran some popular roundtable events last Summer, and we'd love to do more.

Our promise

We’ll be transparent about how every pound is spent, and we’ll show how the reporting leads to conversations with decision-makers, not just more noise. 

Sussex And The City exists to help people understand what devolution means in practice and to make sure every part of sussex has a proper voice in the big decisions to come. 

If that sounds like your sort of thing, then any donation you can make will make ensure we continue to do this properly.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made