News / river avon
River rights could be recognised by first ever bioregional charter
A Charter that has been put together by river health campaigners, including the river’s wife Mrs Meg Avon, and academics at UWE Bristol could be the first document to be recognised and adopted by the multiple councils that make up a bioregion, or area defined by environmental characteristics.
The Avon Bioregion Charter of Rights, which outlines the rights of the River Avon as a valued living entity, is being considered by the councils operating around the river’s catchment including Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset (BANES), North Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire as well as town and parish councils.
If adopted, the document will inform council policy which will take the Avon’s wellbeing into consideration.
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The Avon has been named in the top ten list of most polluted waterways in the country, and surveys have show significant declines of its freshwater species of up to 77 per cent at five key sites.
The We Are Avon campaign is leading on implementation of the Charter as a first step to restore the river to health and regenerate the surrounding land and ecosystems.
It outlines the river’s right to exist, thrive and evolve, to flow sustainably and to not be polluted.
It also recognises the right to cultural and community connection, pointing to the origins of the campaign which grew from the work of the Conham Bathing group and the award winning Rave on for the Avon documentary.
With the recent formal adoption of the rights of the River Wye from source to sea by Herefordshire council, and the river rights movement gaining momentum across the UK, there is hope this will be a positive moment for the Avon.
A 30 mile pilgrimage along the river at the summer Solstice, the second annual event of its kind, will start at Avonmouth and travel to Bristol, then to Bath the following day
Mrs Meg Avon, who is working with UWE on research into the movement, will lead a pilgrimage along the river over Solstice weekend, amounting to around 15 miles walking each day.
The walk begins in Pill with a view of the Avonmouth estuary on the morning of June 20 and stops in Bristol in the afternoon for a procession with Avona, a giant puppet that represents the fierce spirit of the river, along the harbour.
The expedition will then continue to a campsite between Brislington and Stockwood where pilgrims can use a sauna and swim in the river, share food and sit round a campfire.
The Avona puppet will meet pilgrims near the SS Great Britain and process along the harbour between 2-4pm on June 20
The second day will take a river route to Bath, where the walk will conclude. Walkers are welcome to join for any leg or for the whole weekend.
“This pilgrimage is a shared adventure, rooted in community, resilience, connection, and deep respect for the land and waters,” said Meg, who is running the event for the second year. “Thank you for stepping into this sacred journey with us. We look forward to walking alongside you!”
Find more information on the pilgrimage and sign up to join here.
All images: We Are Avon
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