Brent River Campaigners to Join Feargal Sharkey on March

Major protest about water pollution to be held in central London


Sewage outfall into the River Brent. Picture: Ben Morris

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August 28, 2024

Local campaigners for improved water quality have confirmed that they will be joining Feargal Sharkey later this year in a major protest march to be held in central London.

The former Undertones lead singer turned environmental campaigner is leading the March for Clean Water, which has been organised by River Action UK on 26 October.

Mr Sharkey, who is the Vice-Chair of River Action UK, has asked people to accompany him on the day to protest about the level of pollution in Britain’s waterways.

A contingent of campaigners from Brent River Park have said they will answer the call to join “a coalition of the concerned” to demand that the government take immediate action to improve water quality in rivers. River Action UK says that the nation’s rivers, lakes and seas are being poisoned by a lethal cocktail of raw sewage, agricultural waste and other chemical pollutants.

Ben Morris, a trustee of the Brent River Park charity and founder of CURB has been working with litter picking group LagerCan and other volunteers to pull tons of rubbish from the river since 2021. In 2023 CURB developed a low-cost pollution monitoring system. This is being trialled on the River Brent with the support of the Environment Agency.

Mr Morris said, “We will be marching on 26th October because our beautiful River Brent is being badly abused. We have pollution from sewage waste, road run-off, food production and fly-tipping ravaging the habitats of beavers, eels, kingfishers and other wildlife. It creates a destructive knock-on effect for the Brent’s connected greenspaces and a health hazard for local residents. We call on Thames Water, the Environment Agency, central government and local authorities to stop this desecration as a matter of urgency.

“As Ealing Council launches its bold and exciting Regional Park with us, now is the time to sort this out. We can’t have a contaminated watercourse at the heart of such an important and high-profile environmental project. We call on all who care for our environment to join us on the day. Every voice matters.”

From his X account, Feargal Sharkey shared Clean Up River Brent’s (CURB) video of a pollution outfall on the Brent and acknowledged the group’s support for the march.

 

The Brent River Park charity has been campaigning for 50 years to protect and enhance the River Brent and its surrounding green spaces. Charity Trustee Steven Toft said, “We wholeheartedly support River Action and Feargal Sharkey’s march. The situation is severe and urgent action is required. The relentless pollution of our rivers has a damaging effect on the entire environment. We are having constructive discussions with Ealing Council about the Brent River Park becoming an official regional park, protecting the floodplain and building upon rewilding efforts. It is scandalous to have such a highly polluted river running through the middle of it. We therefore invite our supporters to join us and make nature’s voice heard on 26 th October.”


Another sewage discharge into the River Brent. Picture: Ben Morris

The new government has proposed a series of reforms that it says will provide higher compensation payments for sewage failures and water company executives to account.

Measures will attempt to ensure that money earmarked for investment and improvements cannot be diverted to pay salaries or dividends.

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed said, "We will outline further legislation to transform and reset our water industry and restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health."

For more information on CURB, and to volunteer, visit its page on the Brent River Park website, heck out their Just Giving Page raising funds for quality water pollution testing and follow them on Twitter / X @BrentPollution, or join them on Facebook at CURB – Clean Up the River Brent.

 

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