The UK River Summit
Tue 13 Jun 2023 09:30 - 16:00
Kimbridge, SO51 0LE
Description
Gathering the Public and Thought Leaders Together at The UK River Summit
The public are invited to the first UK River Summit, hosted on the banks of the River Test on 13th June 2023. The event brings together some of the country’s most influential environmental speakers and experts to talk about the state of our rivers in the UK and the action needed.
Beginning at 9:30 am, a panel of speakers will discuss various topics across, water scarcity, agricultural and sewage pollution, the environmental impacts of industrial practices in the countryside, and much more, followed by a Q&A.
Summit speakers include:
- Jim Murray, Actor and Founder of Activist Anglers
- Penny Gane Head of Practice at Fish Legal
- Dylan Roberts Head of Fisheries at GWCT
- Jamie Cook CEO of Angling Trust
- Nick Measham CEO of WildFish
- Mike Blackmore, Director of Operations at Wessex Rivers Trust
- Gail Davies-Walsh CEO of Afonydd Cymru
Following the success of the first River Summit and Festival in September 2022, based in South of France and taking place on 14-16 September 2023, Organiser, Claire Zambuni's ambition was always to bring this concept back to the U.K.
Claire Zambuni, Founder of The UK River Summit said, “We have gathered river people from all different walks of life and professions, enabling conversations and finding solutions. Being at the heart of the water quality debate in everything we do, we saw this as a valuable opportunity to open up this critical discussion to a wider audience. With so much anger and outrage in the media surrounding our waterways, we hope this event will not only facilitate lively debate but also collaborative discussion across different stakeholders, all of whom have a passion for our waterways. We invite the public to learn first-hand the issues our rivers are facing and distill our anger to make a positive change.”
She continued, “The Orvis ‘Ginger Beer’ Beat in Kimbridge is a fitting venue to host a Summit about the state of our rivers in the U.K, highlighting Chalk streams as important habitats for wildlife, which support a massive range of species, making them rare havens that must be protected. We are grateful to Orvis UK for supporting the event by opening this venue to the public, giving everyone a chance to be part of the conversation.”
Guests will then be provided with a wild food riverside lunch by Nick Weston and his team at Hunter Gather Cook, with a bar by Lakedown Brewing Company, followed by an afternoon on the river test with workshops from event partners; Hunter Gather Cook, Swarovski Optics and Orvis UK.
Wessex Rivers Trust Workshop – The UK River Summit
As Director of Operations at Wessex Rivers Trust (Wessex RT), Mike Blackmore takes a hands-on approach when it comes to habitat improvement and river management. We are therefore thrilled that he will be representing Wessex RT at the UK River Summit and hosting a workshop on the day.
Wessex RT are experienced in offering river education sessions across areas in the South West of England (covering the Dorset Stour, Hampshire Avon, Test and Itchen, New Forest, and East Hampshire Streams) with interactive activities, riverbank sessions and topical discussions. At the UK River Summit, Wessex RT will lead attendees down the River Test and explain key aspects of river health - what it means to have too much of one plant, the difference between one trout and another, and importantly, how we keep habitat in the narrative around positive change on rivers.
Mike Blackmore explains, “We talk about a trinity of ecological health: habitat, water quality, and water quantity. Without a doubt, habitat is the lynchpin for the latter two, and any changes in one key pillar has a significant impact on the others. It’s not black and white though, it’s shades of grey, and the campaigners, the activists, the organisations, and the hands-on workers involved now need to unify and work together towards a more positive future and direction for our rivers.”
Swarovski Optik is one of the events founding partners and will be in attendance at the event.
Peter Antoniou, Country Manager UK and Rep of Ireland, Swarovski-Optik said, “SWAROVSKI OPTIK is a family firm, with strong roots in Tyrol Austria, an area of exceptional beauty, and considers it its duty to care for the environment, protect nature, and preserve the wealth of different species. The appreciation of nature is therefore an essential part of its company philosophy. We are very proud to be part of the UK River Summit and look forward to meeting likeminded people who appreciate and care for our rivers and wildlife.”
Tickets cost £40pp and include access to The UK River Summit, lunch and workshops, available to purchase on Ticket Tailor.
The Venue
The Test Valley is one of the best-kept secrets in Hampshire, nestled between Winchester, Salisbury and the New Forest, and only an hour’s drive from London. The area is characterised by its wonderful countryside, attractive villages, the famous River Test and bustling market towns of Andover, Stockbridge and Romsey.
The Orvis ‘Ginger Beer’ Beat in Kimbridge is a stunning setting to host a Summit about the state of our rivers in the U.K. and we are grateful to Orvis UK for supporting the event by providing this.
The River Test is regarded as the most famous chalk stream in the United Kingdom. Physically it is the longest, being 39 miles from source to estuary and flows through some beautiful countryside from its source in the hamlet of Ashe to the sea at Southampton.
The river is said to be the home of modern fly-fishing and it is high quality game fisheries that have made the River Test justifiably famous. Its chalk water and abundance of weeds are ideal for salmon, trout and grayling.
***By purchasing a ticket to this event, you are happy to be photographed and filmed by the event videographer and may be used for marketing purposes after the event. If you do not wish to be included, please contact the event organisers.***
Location
Kimbridge, SO51 0LE