Polegate and Eastbourne charity scarecrow festival competition promises to be seen for miles

Taking place in Polegate, Willingdon, Hampden Park and Ratton between July 22 to 29 2023, the Sussex Downs Scarecrow Festival will be raising money for Eastbourne Lifeboats (RNLI) and Holding Space.=

The weeklong event will see handmade scarecrows pop up in the largest area ever.

Founded as the Polegate Scarecrows Community Fund in November 2019, the Polegate Community Foundation established three years later in November 2022.

The fund was set up after the running of two successful Scarecrow Festivals.

The Polegate Community Foundation will be brining Polegate its sixth Scarecrow Festival, Willingdon it’s third, Hampden Park it’s second and Ratton Village will see it’s first ever charity scarecrow festival this July.

Previous scarecrow festivals run by the Polegate Community Foundation have raised £4,000 for local charities and good causes and this year sees to new beneficiaries.

Online entries are already open for the competition and can be submitted online at polegatecommunityfoundation.org.uk/sussex-scarecrows

Thirteen awards will be handed out to the Scarecrows judged to be the best in show.

For inspiration this is the winning entry from Inglewood Nursing Home who received the ‘Best in Show’ award in the Hampden Park Scarecrow Trail 2022.