The Rivers Trust

🌳 Almost half a million trees planted, and so much more! Today we're releasing our 2023/24 Impact Report, which tots up the incredible work done by our Rivers Trust Movement all across the UK and Ireland over the past 12 months. Our rivers are in crisis, but there are many things that can be done to help restore them to their natural function. The Impact Report includes just some of the highlights and case studies of the past year, from restoring freshwater pearl mussel populations and creating weir bypasses to allow fish passage, to partnering with British Rowing to more deeply engage a community of river champions, and launching our Big River Watch citizen science initiative. And this year, as we celebrate 20 years of The Rivers Trust umbrella organization and 30 years of the first trust that eventually led to the formation of our movement (West Country Rivers Trust), we're also looking back over the long-term impact of our collective work. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/ee-sxkNY #ImpactReport #restoreourrivers #togetherforrivers #rivers #nature #wildlife #riverhealth #envronment #theriverstrust

At a time when households are feeling the strain, it's crucial that rising water bills deliver real value—for both people and the planet. The £104bn investment, including £24bn for environmental improvements, is a major step forward after years of under-investment. However, we would like to see greater emphasis and investment into nature-based, catchment-scale solutions, which can provide better value for communities and nature. This progress is encouraging, but the investment must be closely monitored to ensure that the promises made translate into meaningful action and lasting change. Read our full statement in the image below and on our website 👇 https://lnkd.in/gAARFHFS

📢 Exciting Opportunity: Join The Rivers Trust as our Internal Communications Lead! We’re looking for an experienced and passionate communicator to lead internal engagement and collaboration across our organisation and Movement. As Internal Communications Lead, you will design and deliver impactful communication strategies across The Rivers Trust and our wider movement. You’ll create compelling content for internal channels, boost employee engagement, and foster a culture of open communication and alignment with our mission and values. 🏡 Location: Home-based 🤝 Salary: £34,130 📅 Application deadline: Midday Wednesday 8th January 2025 Learn more and apply 👇 https://lnkd.in/ej3vHvqB

The Office for Environmental Protection's (OEP) investigation confirms what environmental and community groups have been saying for years: regulators must do far more to tackle the devastating impact of sewage pollution on our waterways. As water companies prepare to release their next investment plans, the key question remains whether they will demonstrate the ambition required to restore and protect our rivers. Read our full response in the image below and on our website. https://lnkd.in/emWAE2_U

🏊 One week left to have your say on changes to the Bathing Waters rules! Defra and the Welsh Government are consulting on important updates to Bathing Water status. Proposed changes include: ❄️ Scrapping fixed bathing season dates (currently May–Sept) as winter swimming grows. 🏄 Recognising recreational activities like paddleboarding and surfing as ‘bathing.’ 🧑🔬 Testing water quality at multiple locations within each site. This is a vital chance to make Bathing Water designation a stronger tool for improving river health and protecting water quality. 💪 We’ve outlined our key thoughts on the consultation questions in a blog on our website to help you craft your response 👇 https://lnkd.in/eQSNGff3 ⌛ The public consultation closes Monday 23rd December—don’t miss this opportunity to protect our rivers and make your voice heard!

It’s time to get #WilderbyDesign 🏡   As we approach the launch of the Planning Bill next year, nature groups are calling for key changes in how our planning system works:   A ‘greenprint for nature’ with new protected sites, local plans for nature and the end of harm to Marine Protected Areas🏞️   Wilder neighbourhoods where swift bricks, bat boxes, sustainable drainage systems, and more are built into our homes and streets 💙   A new National Spatial Plan which enables Government to identify the sites that are best for development, & the sites best for nature🌱   Learn more👇 https://lnkd.in/epQfbtYe

📣 Exciting job opportunity with South Cumbria Rivers Trust. South Cumbria Rivers Trust (SCRT) is looking for a passionate and motivated Trust Manager to join their dedicated team. As Trust Manager you will take on a key leadership role, guiding talented staff and driving impactful conservation work within the iconic landscapes of the southern Lake District UNESCO World Heritage site. 📌 Location: Based in South Cumbria 🤝 Salary: £40k+ depending on experience 📅 Application deadline: Friday 3rd January 2025. This role calls for an energetic self-starter with strong communication skills, a talent for building partnerships, and a proven track record in securing funding agreements. Learn more and apply 👇 https://lnkd.in/evuqUb25

Our Chief Executive, Mark Lloyd, stresses the need for balanced land use. Housing is vital, but so too are the waterways, green spaces, and natural ecosystems that sustain us and nature. As the Government updates the National Planning Policy Framework, we must prioritise climate-ready plans that support nature alongside development. Read our full statement in the image below and for more information, the announced changes are available on the government website 👇 https://lnkd.in/dCgRWWrr

💙 You did it! 💙 We'd like to say a huge THANK YOU to each and every one of you. With your incredible support, we hit our ambitious target and raised an amazing £90,185 through the Big Give Christmas Challenge! These vital funds will help us: 📝 Advocate for stronger policies to protect our rivers as the Government makes crucial decisions about our waterways 💩 Keep our Sewage Map updated and hold polluters accountable 🤳 Expand the Big River Watch, engaging more people in citizen science 🤝 Support over 65 local Rivers Trusts in creating positive changes for our rivers across the UK and Ireland 👊 And much more! 🙏 We’re so grateful for every donation, like, and share. Together, we’re making a big difference for the future of our rivers. Don't forget, you can sign up to our newsletter for more updates on our work, progress, and campaigns throughout the year 👇 https://lnkd.in/ebDDwzP5 🙌 Thank you also to the Big Give for running the Christmas Challenge and to our generous match donors — our pledgers including the Amber River Foundation, and our Champion the Reed Foundation.

💩 NEW: Updates to our live Sewage Map! It’s one of the most popular things we’ve ever made. It now shows live spill data for England, whether other discharges have happened in the last 24 hours, and each location’s most recent spill data. We've previously only had annual summary data from water companies, so could only display the yearly total raw sewage discharge information for Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) on the map. But now, water companies in England have to share live discharge data. So our brilliant technical team has built this in, and you can now see when spills are happening in near real-time. Ideally, even if you could see that sewage isn’t being spilled right now, you’d also want to know what has been happening earlier in the day or week. Well, we’ve added that too. 🔴 Red points display how long a current CSO discharge has been taking place 🟡 Yellow points show the duration and time of CSO discharges that have taken place in the last 24 hours. 🔵 CSOs at Blue points are not currently discharging, and have no recorded discharges in the last day. Making data widely available is one of our top priorities, and we’re proud that the Sewage Map is now even more helpful to anybody who wants to understand what might be in the water. Explore the Sewage Map for yourself: https://lnkd.in/eCfjAWFP