Exhibition review: Greenpeace International in Lewes

An exhibition in August exploring Greenpeace’s development, and Lewes’s role as its international headquarters during the 1980s, attracted visitors from across the world, as Debbie Annells of Greenpeace Lewes reports.

Early August 2025 saw lots of visitors attending an exhibition featuring the archive of Lewes resident John May from the 1980s when he was Director of Books for Greenpeace International. This was also the time when the Greenpeace office at Temple House on Lewes High Street was the world headquarters for Greenpeace International – really putting Lewes on the map!

Alongside a main exhibition at the Star Brewery Gallery, events and film screenings were held at other venues around Lewes, supported by over 25 volunteers from Greenpeace Lewes and Brighton. Over 1,000 people came along, including many Greenpeace supporters from Europe (mainly from France, Holland, Denmark and Italy) and Asia (Hong Kong and China). We were also delighted to welcome Emily Clarke, the Mayor of Lewes, and her deputy, Councillor Nicky Blackwell. 

A big draw, especially for children, was the life-size and highly realistic model, Paula the Polar Bear, who had been a fixture of many Greenpeace events and protests.

The event has inspired many new members to join Greenpeace Lewes. Regular group meetings are held every second Tuesday at 7pm, House of Friendship, 208 High Street, Lewes, BN7 2NS. All are warmly welcome to come along.

If you’d like to get involved, please email

Watch two of the Lewes events on YouTube:

Greenpeace: An Unofficial History by Martin Porter
Filmed at Lewes House of Friendship

Greenpeace International in Lewes – Talk by John Frizell & Martin Leeburn
Filmed at the Star Brewery Gallery

Comments from visitors:

‘Fantastic, needs to be repeated’

‘Originally I just took my son, 9, to see the Polar Bear, but I was so interested I came back by myself; and now I’ve joined the Greenpeace Lewes group!’ 

‘The Greyhairs on the Panel resonated with me. I was so proud of what they helped to start’’

“The three films screened in the Satellite events were really powerful,  they really have changed my outlook on life.”

“Being in the Gallery and listening to the many fascinating conversations was amazing.”

‘Many people (not just in Lewes) are or were deeply involved in Greenpeace and came along’