South Downs Vineyard Founders To Receive Honorary Degrees From University Of Brighton

The founders of a family-run vineyard in the South Downs are set to receive honorary doctorates from the University of Brighton.

Sarah and Mark Driver established Rathfinny Wine Estate in 2010 on former arable farmland near Polegate.

The estate has since become internationally recognised for its Sussex sparkling wines, now served in hotels and restaurants around the world.

Alongside building the vineyard, the couple – parents to four children, three of whom are dyslexic – founded the Driver Youth Trust (DYT), a charity that supports young people with literacy difficulties.

Reacting to the news, Sarah and Mark said they were both “honoured and thrilled” to receive the awards.

“Being our local university makes it even more special as it links to our close collaboration with our community,” they added.

Their journey into winemaking began after Mark Driver discovered a course at Plumpton College while researching higher education options for one of their children.

Further research highlighted the potential for producing high-quality sparkling wine in Sussex, leading him to enrol on the programme.

Sarah Driver has previously reflected on a photograph taken in 2012 showing the couple breaking ground on the site.

“It shows us pushing a spade into the chalky soil alongside the tiny team we had started to build,” she said, describing it as the moment their ambition to create a “world class sparkling wine estate” became reality.

Professor Donna Whitehead, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Brighton, praised the couple’s leadership through both Rathfinny and the Driver Youth Trust.

She said their work reflects “the very best of the values we champion at Brighton” and described their achievements as “a powerful example of how purpose-driven work can transform lives”.

The honorary degrees will be presented during a two-day graduation ceremony at the Brighton Centre on Thursday and Friday, where 1,701 students are due to collect their awards.

Professor Whitehead said this year’s graduates had demonstrated talent, resilience and ambition, and were leaving the university ready to help shape a “brighter, fairer and more sustainable future” for communities locally and beyond.