Our Latest News
in this issue…
Auction success | BigGive | Christmas Challenge | Real-time Alert Sewage Map | Bathing Water Consultation | Ousewem Update | Tees-Swale Project Update | River Nidd Project Opportunities
**Best wishes for the holiday season!**
What’s been happening …
The last few weeks have been dominated by two important fund raising efforts for our charity: Our annual auction – read on to find out how much we raised – and the #BigGive match-funded #ChristmasChallenge which is open for donations until noon tomorrow!
Auction Raises £4300
Our annual Auction has once again raised a significant amount of money to support our ongoing volunteering and Rivers 2U education programmes. The 47 prizes donated by supporters of our charity offered a wide range of gifts and experiences from days out, to wild swimming and fly fishing experiences, to cottage stays and dining vouchers. We are extremely grateful to all donors, bidders and to Tennants of Leyburn for hosting the auction.
If anyone missed the Auction – we still have two star prizes available:
‘Money Can’t Buy’ Emmerdale Studio and Village Tour with Lunch for two: The day will commence with a tour of the studios, lunch in the staff and cast canteen, before heading out to Emmerdale village – on a day they are filming!
This experience must be booked and taken before the end of February 2025 and can be yours for £300.
Family Membership and ‘Start Sailing Course’ at Yorkshire Ouseburn Sailing Club – worth £200.
If you are interested in either experience please contact us
Real-time Alert Sewage Map
Last week, WaterUK launched The National Storm Overflows Hub – an interactive map that shows in near real-time when a storm overflow is releasing raw, untreated sewage (known as a discharge) across England.
After years of campaigning by The Rivers Trust for live data on spills and discharges, we’re pleased to see this next step in the transparency around CSO discharges. Water companies began publishing their live discharge data earlier this year, but this is the first time that all of these sources of information are available side-by-side, and in a nationally consistent format.
Click on the button below to view the Sewage Map
Tees-Swale Project Update
The latest phase of the Tees-Swale Diffuse Metals Project addressing the pollution caused by metals released from long-abandoned metal mines in Upper Teesdale is now complete. The work was led by us and the Water and Abandoned Metal Mines (WAMM) programme, working with the Tees Rivers Trust. The innovative project, part of Tees Swale; Naturally Connected – a National Lottery Heritage Fund project, aims to limit heavy metal pollution of rivers through the creation of more than three hectares of vegetation plots above Middleton-in-Teesdale. An innovative hydroseeding technique, delivered by Terraffix Soil Solutions has been used. This is an efficient technique using seed and various mulch materials mixed with water and spread by hose creating erosion resistant layers in which plants can grow in order to limit the heavy metals being washed out of abandoned mine sites next to Great Eggleshope Beck, Little Eggleshope Beck and Marl Beck – all tributaries of the River Tees.
BigGive Match Funding
We have once again partnered with BigGive this December, which enables all donations to our charity to be match-funded for one week only.
There’s still time to donate and have your donation doubled – simply click here
All donations received through this appeal will directly fund our Rivers 2U mobile classroom enabling us to not only continue this important environmental educational work, but expand it, connecting with more children in urban communities and targeting schools in areas of higher social deprivation.
Bathing Waters Consultation
Last month Defra and the Welsh Government announced some suggested changes to the rules around bathing water status, and opened a new Bathing Waters Consultation. The proposed changes include extending the bathing season, recognising other recreational activities like surfing, and increasing water quality testing and consideration. These proposals are welcome, but we know that there’s plenty more to be done. You have an opportunity to shape the future of these rules, as the consultation is open for anyone to share their views on.
The consultation ends 23 December. Find out more from The Rivers Trust guide via the button below:
Ousewem Update
Ousewem, the Defra funded innovative flood resilience project we manage has announced the continued expansion of its natural flood management (NFM) focus areas within the Swale, Ure, Nidd and Ouse catchments. These will now include:
- Arkengarthdale
- Masham
- Bellerby
- Bishop Monkton
This follows the previous phase of new focus catchments, which targeted communities in Appersett, Gayle, Hawes, and Hunton, where further projects continue to be delivered.
Through nature-based solutions (NbS), including NFM such as wetland creation, forestry, and leaky dams, this expansion continues Ousewem’s mission to support local resilience in the face of flood risks.
If you have wet or soggy areas of land which are hard to farm in Arkengarthdale, Masham, Bellerby, Bishop Monkton, Appersett, Gayle, Hawes, or Hunton, please contact our delivery team here.
River Nidd Project Opportunities
We are looking for opportunities to work together with farmers, landowners and members of the public to support river restoration and nature conservation in the River Nidd catchment. Sarah Lonsdale, our project manager for the Nidd catchment is keen to hear from anyone wanting to restore habitats, improve water quality, or enhance biodiversity across the River Nidd. Contact Sarah here
Best wishes for the holiday season!
And finally, we would like to thank all our donors and supporters for championing our charity and the rivers of the Yorkshire Dales over the last year – and we wish you all the very best wishes for the upcoming holiday season!
