Introducing ‘Let’s Get Ready’ – a community preparedness handbook for Lewes

‘Let’s Get Ready’ is an exciting new project to create a Community Preparedness Handbook for Lewes so that any resident, household or neighbourhood can feel more confidently prepared for emergencies that could disrupt daily life. Stew Graham-Hyde of the project team explains more.

I am Stew and I would like to introduce you to an exciting new project called ‘Let’s Get Ready’ a Community Preparedness Handbook for Lewes. The handbook has been created by people who live in, and care about your community. It reflects local knowledge, lived experience, and a shared commitment to supporting one another during times of crisis.

We are a volunteer group and have spent the past six months developing Let’s Get Ready, a practical, easy‑to‑use handbook created to help households and neighbourhoods across Lewes and beyond deal with everyday disruptions such as storms, heatwaves, power cuts and supply issues.

How it began

The idea for the handbook emerged after a screening of the National Emergency Briefing at the Depot cinema in April 2026. During a discussion after the screening, local councillor Wendy Maples asked the question, ‘Is there an appetite for a preparedness guide for Lewes?’ I was among those who raised their hand. Following the event, I contacted Wendy and we formed a group to work on the project. That conversation led to the formation of a volunteer working group to explore what such a resource could look like and how it could genuinely support the community.

The handbook has been shaped with input from residents across Lewes and beyond, reflecting shared knowledge and ideas gathered through extensive research and discussion. It covers everyday realistic steps we can take as individuals, families and communities — including planning, sensible supplies and storage, health and wellbeing, communication, and ways neighbours can coordinate during local incidents. It also links with existing resilience work happening through Lewes Town and District Councils, local authorities, emergency services, the Sussex Resilience Forum, and community groups.

Next steps

The project is now entering its final phase, we are in the process of gaining support and approval from local authorities, emergency services and key local organisations. We will soon be carrying out trials to test the handbook and gather feedback before wider release. The long‑term aim is to produce a printed booklet delivered to every household in Lewes, ensuring that everyone, regardless of age, income or digital access, has practical information available when they need it.

Future plans

And we have bigger plans: we are already working with surrounding towns and villages with a view to amend the advice based on local knowledge, environment and circumstances to make the guide available throughout the district providing residents with guidance related to where they live, and the kind of challenges they may face should a crisis occur.

If you have any questions or thoughts about the project, please get in contact at