Campaigning in 2023
On 4th February around 50 people attended our Defend Nature Community Meeting in Hereford and we developed ideas and actions.
BBC Countryfile dedicated a whole episode to the plight of the Wye entitled Troubled Waters. This showcased the practical work the Trust continues to undertake improving riverside habitats, restoring natural processes and effecting nature-based solutions in the Lugg Valley. The programme also met with a number of other campaign groups, farmers and representatives from the statutory agencies describing the issues from every side.
In March, we held meetings with both Jesse Norman MP and Sir Bill Wiggin MP to discuss our concerns and how we can work together.
In April, we held a Wilder Herefordshire Assembly, joining with partners CPRE, Friends of the Upper Wye and Friends of the Lower Wye, putting our agenda for nature’s recovery to the local politicians of the key political groups in the county.
In May, our CEO Jamie Audsley joined a roundtable in Hereford, chaired by Thérèse Coffey, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to discuss the issues and possible solutions.
In June and July, Trust members attended the Annual General Meetings of national retailers to ask them to work with us to Recover our Rivers directly. Tesco held their AGM on Friday 1th June and Herefordshire Wildlife Trust member, Richard Tyler, attended and asked Tesco CEO Ken Murphy: "What steps are Tesco’s managers taking to insist that Avara and the suppliers they support, change their practices to ensure this devastating pollution stops?"
Our campaign continued with The Wildlife Trust’s CEO Craig Bennett chairing another round-table on Tuesday 17th July at Hay Castle. Stakeholders attending included statutory agencies, retailers and other partners. Our CEO Jamie Audsley said: “The discussion showed that a tremendous amount of work is being carried out and there is a real opportunity to move forward more efficiently and effectively. It is really encouraging that the recommendations from the excellent RePhoKUs Wye Report are seen as critical to success by so many of the participants. We’re looking forward to continuing discussions and adding energy to support plans that will recover the Wye.”