Take action
Take action

Campaigns

Latest

View All

Justice for Lough Neagh

View campaign

Toxic Sludge

View campaign

Tag: Rowing

Sir Steve Redgrave calls on the Government to clean up the Thames, ahead of Schools’ Head of the River Race

Posted on by Molly Allen

As nearly 3,000 young rowers gather for the Schools’ Head of the River Race, all-time Olympic rowing champion Sir Steve Redgrave calls for urgent action to clean up the River Thames. In a letter to Secretary of State for the Environment Steve Reed, Sir Redgrave stresses the need for urgent action to address the river’s pollution.

The letter was delivered to Defra, as schools from across the country gather to take part in the UK’s largest processional rowing race for school-aged participants.

The action is being coordinated by environmental charity River Action, which is leading efforts to protect the river from severe pollution caused by sewage discharges. In the letter, Sir Steve Redgrave calls on the Secretary of State to:

  • End pollution for profit by water companies and take firm action to ensure Thames Water cleans up its infrastructure.
  • Give environmental regulators the power and tools to do their job so polluters are held to account.

Sir Steve Redgrave said, “This is not just about rowing. It’s about all river users’ public health. It’s about our environment. It’s about the future of one of the world’s most iconic rivers. We won’t sit quietly while this catastrophe continues.”

River campaigners urge rower safety on poor quality water

In response to growing concerns over water quality across Britain’s rivers , British Rowing, River Action, and The Rivers Trust have developed official guidelines to help rowers minimise the risk of illness due to exposure to polluted water.

The ‘Guidance on rowing when water quality is poor’ advises rowers to cover cuts, grazes, and blisters with waterproof dressings, avoid swallowing river water, wear suitable footwear when launching or recovering boats, and thoroughly clean all equipment after use.

Sir Steve Redgrave emphasised the importance of taking protective measures:

“The Schools’ Head of the River Race is a fantastic event, but rowers need to be aware of the serious health risks posed by polluted water. By following these safety guidelines, we can help minimise the risk, but this situation is completely unacceptable. We need urgent action to stop sewage discharges and protect the health of everyone using our rivers.”

Erica Popplewell, River Action’s Head of Communities, added:

“We are thrilled that so many young people are getting out on the water, but their health must not be put at risk. We urge every rower, coach, and participating school to follow our guidance to stay safe. But guidance alone is not enough—we need the Government to take decisive action to clean up the UK’s polluted rivers, and Thames Water must be stopped from polluting for profit.”

Water quality testing

Water quality testing conducted by River Action last year on the stretch of the Thames used for the Boat Race between the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge (also used for the Schools’ Head of the River Race) revealed dangerously high levels of E.coli bacteria caused by sewage pollution.

Tests using a World Health Organization-verified E.coli analyser recorded contamination levels up to ten times higher than the Environment Agency’s threshold for ‘poor’ designated bathing waters—where the Government advises against swimming.

Furthermore, River Action can reveal that in the last 6 months, Thames Water allowed 133 hours of human sewage to enter the section of the Thames used for the Schools Head of the River Race.

River Action continues to call for immediate intervention, including placing Thames Water into special administration, to prevent further environmental damage and protect river users.

“As our world slips into an ecological crisis, I feel implored to fight for my future [. . .] and water is a vital part of it”: Young voices call for change.

Posted on by lewis

By Flora Wallace, aged 16.

As I walked towards the huddle of rowing enthusiasts crowding before the Linacre Rowing Club facilities, I felt a sense of confidence and trepidation fill me at the sight. On Saturday 20th April, the Linacre women’s 8 rowing boat was named ‘River Action’, to honour the campaign group’s work drawing global attention to the horrific levels of pollution on the River Thames.

As a young person at the event, I felt privileged to be surrounded by such admirable people whose lives revolve around caring for others, the planet and in many cases their sport. I wandered around with my sister chatting by my side and witnessed partnerships turn to friendships and strangers turn to colleagues. 

With the river running murky beside us, we feel our sadness at the state of the River Thames washed away by uplifting speeches from James Wallace, CEO of River Action and Frederick Mulder. They remind us what we are all striving for and the desperate needs of our rivers today. 

I feel sickened, as do many rowers affected by E. Coli poisoning in the past year, at the poor state of Britain’s rivers and feel the health and happiness of my own future inexplicably linked to the wellbeing of every waterway around me. The toll of millions of hours of sewage discharge in the past year is painted clearly through the clumps of algal bloom and streams clouded brown, snaking their way through cities and rural countryside. 

Lethal levels of the E.coli pathogen from sewage released from under regulated water companies, like Thames Water, are poisoning our waterways. As a young person, who should look up to the government with pride and confidence, I feel constantly overwhelmed by the disappointing levels of protection being taken to save the water that each and everyone of us relies on. 

We all need water to survive and as I see futures of deprivation flash before my eyes, I think back to my childhood, filled with wild swimming in my local Kennet river. Weeping willows dancing beside the clear water rushing beside me and a feeling of elation at the beauty surrounding me.

As our world slips into an ecological crisis, I feel implored to fight for my future and just as every rower will agree with me, water is a vital part of it. So let’s protect it and value it and remember the summers we spent playing in it. Because those summers are over now and the safety we were once guaranteed is now fading into the past.

Oxford College rowers honour River Action in boat naming ceremony

Posted on by lewis

Rowers at a University of Oxford college have named a boat in honour of River Action, whose mission is to save the UK’s rivers from pollution.

The women’s eights first team rowers at Linacre College named their boat ‘River Action’ to honour the campaign group’s work drawing global attention to water pollution on the River Thames believed to be caused by Thames Water.

In the run up to the historic Gemini Boat Race between the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, water quality experts from River Action, in partnership with Fulham Reach Boat Club, conducted E.coli tests on the stretch of the Thames used for the race.

Using a World Health Organization verified E.Coli analyser, the tests revealed levels of E.coli up to 10 times higher than what the Environment Agency considers acceptable for designated bathing waters graded poor, the bottom of four categories.  When bathing water is graded ‘poor’ the Government’s advice is against bathing. The testing locations suggest that the source of pollution was from Thames Water discharging sewage directly into the River Thames and its tributaries.

Principal of Linacre College, Dr Nick Leimu-Brown said, “The River Thames is part of the identity and daily life of our university, and we are horrified that its polluted waters are now such a risk to wildlife and public health.”

Linacre Boat Club President, Sydney Rose said, “Linacre Boat Club is proud to support the vision of River Action UK to preserve the health of this cherished historic waterway and the people who gather around it.”

CEO of River Action James Wallace said, “It is humbling that the women’s first team eights at Linacre College have honoured River Acton, naming their boat after us. It is a privilege to lead a team of committed campaigners drawing attention to the pollution crisis on our rivers caused, in part, by the water companies allowing tens of thousands of hours of sewage to enter our rivers every year. The damage this does to human health, to river health is incalculable.

“Rowers spend so much of their time on rivers, and they know better than most, because many of them are getting sick, the awful state of our waterways.  Too many of the UK’s rivers are contaminated with sewage because the water companies have, since privatisation 30 years ago, failed to upgrade their infrastructure, favouring instead to reward shareholders with multi-billion-pound dividends.

“We have had enough of this corporate greed and putting polluters’ interests before the interests of the environment.  Together with the rowing community, including all the rowers at Linacre College, we are standing up for river health, placing the polluters on notice that we will hold you accountable.  We have the same message for the government which fails to enforce environmental laws that are there to protect rivers.”

For interviews call Ian Woolverton on 07377 547 362 or email media@riveractionuk.com

Notes to editor
In response to the UK’s river pollution crisis and recognising that rowers spend a huge amount of their daily lives either on or by the water, British Rowing, River Action, and The Rivers Trust developed a set of guidelines for rowing on poor quality water. 

‘Guidance on rowing when water quality is poor’ has been written to minimise the risk of contracting illness due to proximity to polluted water. Included are helpful tips on the importance of covering cuts, grazes, and blisters with waterproof dressings, taking care not to swallow river water that splashes close to the mouth, wearing suitable footwear when launching or recovering a boat, and cleaning all equipment thoroughly. The new guidance has been issued to rowing clubs across the country.

River Action is on a mission to rescue Britain’s rivers by raising awareness of pollution and water shortages and applying pressure on industrial and agricultural producers, water companies, and others. The group brings awareness to the crisis facing our rivers, and the failure of Government funded environmental agencies to address this. To learn more about River Action: www.riveractionuk.com.

Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.