Connection runs through us all. For me, that connection has always centred itself around Eastbourne, where, as a child, I would spend my Summer and half-term breaks, residing as a guest in my grandparents' bungalow.
For others, connection and belonging can be surrounded by family, a sport, their art, or how they live.
Starting this project in August, it was initially going to surround itself with the people of Eastbourne, but putting more thought into the project, I saw that I wanted to expand the borders of the work I was doing and take it to new heights and include other areas of the UK, like my hometown of Carshalton.
Accompanied by these images, you can find a brief description of the subject's story, thoughts and feelings and what they're doing today.
Eastbourne, August 2025
Cheryle is a woman I met who lives in a caravan on the outskirts of Eastbourne with her dog, whom she had rescued from poor conditions. This wasn’t the first caravan she had lived in, but she had lived in several over the years, currently living in this caravan for three years. She has experienced domestic abuse from an ex-partner and believes she is currently being stalked. Cheryle had broken her hip and says emergency services have failed her multiple times. She tends to avoid Eastbourne Town Centre and occasionally busks on the seafront. She identifies with Native American Shamanism and Irish Travellers/gypsies. During lockdown, Cheryle was diagnosed with cancer, refusing conventional treatments and is critical of chemotherapy, believing in alternative healing. She plans to set up an alternative healing space.
Carshalton, September 2025
Akheem ‘Ron’ Brown grew up in Grenada and was introduced to golf by his two uncles, Stephen and Michael. He quickly became an avid golfer, maintaining lifelong friendships through the sport. He visited the UK in the early 90s and eventually moved in the early 2000s, previously living in Hackney and ultimately moving to Carshalton, Surrey, in 2013. Throughout the years, Ron continued to play golf, finding himself playing at Farleigh Golf Club, becoming the club's first black Captain, describing the achievement as an inspiration and part of his bucket list. He aims to represent all members equally, regardless of race and sees golf as a family and community sport, central to his upbringing. While speaking, Ron acknowledged that golf is a predominantly white sport, both on TV and in clubs, and actively works to broaden inclusion through groups like the African Golf Union, noting that golf can be expensive, which can limit diversity. Talking about experiences on the golf course, he mentions that he has experienced “soft” discrimination, being questioned or looked at differently in the club’s but chooses to let his golf skills do the talking instead of responding to bias. He does believe that golf is becoming more open and inclusive with the help of social media, giving a hand in ‘breaking barriers’. When Ron isn’t playing golf, he is working as a Technical Specialist at a finance firm. Ron loves golf; it has taught him discipline and humility. He is proud of his journey and role in making golf more diverse and wants to leave a legacy of inclusion and fair representation, believing golf should be about skill, respect, and shared passion, not colour or status.
Eastbourne, August 2025
Margaret Bannister has been the Mayor of Eastbourne since May 2025. She was born and raised in Eastbourne and trained as a teacher but never taught due to job cuts; she worked in a school office instead. Later, she became a councillor 21 years ago, which led to her becoming mayor. Her role as Mayor is ceremonial, not political, attending events and representing the town as a figurehead, not involved in decision-making and must remain non-political and neutral toward all parties. Talking about the town, she mentions the friendly community, the theatre now run by a new company. Some challenges the town has had, she mentions, are the Town centre revitalisation needed post-COVID and economic downturn and Retail decline that has been seen across the UK. Improvements she wishes to see are that youth facilities could improve, but due to financial constraints, it limits the options. As a councillor, she has had many achievements from the Solarborn Project, which saw the installation of solar panels on council buildings before the feed-in tariff was introduced and a successful boost in tourism from running events and theatre partnerships. Although she has received some backlash online and only online, her feedback in person is positive from community events.
Eastbourne, August 2025
A woman named Claire Land reached out to let me know about a community meeting that takes place every Monday and Friday, hosted by a local group called The Wild Bunch, which caters to individuals aged 26–90 years old. I was fortunate enough to sit through this group's meetings while they played bingo, ate cake, and chatted. I went around the room and asked about their individual thoughts on the area.
Kings Park, where this group resides, was originally called Kingsmere, and its original purpose was to be a holiday destination with chalets, but it later turned into residential housing. It is a very tight-knit community with a range of street parties and events being planned. Residents collectively fought to retain Kings Park when it was sold off to a housing association, which led to supposed drug-related issues, although some found that these claims were greatly exaggerated.
As mentioned prior, the community is very tight-knit and family-oriented, with multiple generations living close by, and 13 siblings, one being June, who moved to the area in the late 1990s, followed by her other siblings.
Talking to the group, I asked what issues Eastbourne has faced, to which I was met with criticism of poorly managed funding and neglect of parks, the boarding up of the bandstand, and the reduction of parking spaces that particularly affect elderly residents.
Clare taught in Eastbourne for nearly 16 years but left due to issues with staff. Residents have expressed mixed feelings about the area: some love Kings Park, the Pier, and the bandstand, appreciating its charm, while others talk about its decline compared to the past.
Left to Right
Charlotte Johnson, June Ward (Charlotte's nan, my aunt, sister of Anthony), Val Philipson, Linda, Anthony Land (Claire's dad), Michael Phillips, Catherine Land (Claire's mum), Marie Sellers, Claire Land, Adam Faiers, and Murphy (cute dog)
Eastboure, August 2025
Rose Lane had moved to Eastbourne in January 2025. She had lived in Brighton for almost 30 years, raising her daughter there. Rose is an artist who works with paints, cards & posters, and figurative work. She has had work shown in exhibitions and sold work in the past
Rose had moved to Spain at the beginning of 2020, but the COVID-19 restrictions made life very difficult. After a few years, she returned to Brighton. Upon return to Brighton, she found that the rent had risen sharply and, unfortunately, had to rehome her two dogs since she couldn’t find a suitable flat with a garden.
Rose developed Sciatica, which made life difficult and caused mobility issues. Living in a basement flat didn’t help. Rose was unable to leave her flat in Brighton, and she began to feel isolated. She now rents a home in Eastbourne.
Moving to Eastbourne has made Rose happier overall, and she now lives with her dog, Billy. After the building work is complete, she plans to decorate her home with her art and furniture from Facebook Marketplace. She has found living in Eastbourne to be more peaceful, happy with friendly locals who stop and chat, and is delighted not to live with or near students, unlike in Brighton. She does, however, dislike the lack of creative community activities compared to Brighton.
