There is an ecological emergency in English rivers. The human and wildlife population are at risk. Today, in England, only 14% of rivers are in good ecological health & none are in good chemical health. In 2021, the environmental performance of the UK’s water & sewage companies fell to the lowest level on record, with little improvement since.
In a densely residential part of East Bristol runs a serene section of the River Avon which attracts crowds of swimmers in the summer and a regular rotation of cold-water swimmers in winter. It offers solace and healing for those struggling with mental health issues and a free outdoor activity for local lower-income families.
But the Bristol Council prohibits swimming in the river, and it’s often filled with dangerous levels of raw sewage, chemical pollution and farm run-off. This leaves everyone with a dilemma; for all the benefits the river gives them, it could potentially cause them even greater harm.
Three local swimmers formed the Conham Bathing Group, a citizen-led water testing programme to help raise awareness of the poor water quality in the Avon. The Conham Bathing Group is applying for Designated Bathing Water Status (DBWS). Officially designated Bathing Waters are the only blue spaces where water quality is regularly monitored for its effect on human health, and legal obligations are put on polluting industries to clean up their act. In the UK there are currently only 3 stretches of river with this status, all of which have been won through local campaigns.
‘Rave On For The Avon’ features a tapestry of people who love and fight for this river, illustrating how much there is to lose if the Avon continues to face unending pollution. This film delivers a sense of urgency about the critical state of the River Avon and how much the locals rely on it for their health and wellbeing. It galvanises audiences to campaign for policy change in the UK and abroad. We screened the film to local Councillors in Bristol to support Conham Bathing's launch of the Thriving Avon Charter, a document created by the river guardian community laying out policy recommendations for the Avon.
Ticket price includes free tea and coffee.
