River Restoration at Riverside Gardens, Orpington- River Cray

Tag: Community

River Restoration at Riverside Gardens, Orpington- River Cray

The South East Rivers Trust has embarked on a project to improve a 1.4km stretch of the Upper Cray, running through Riverside Gardens in Orpington and St Mary Cray and ending at the Mill Brook Road upstream of Broomwood Lake.

The project comprises wetland reinstatement alongside habitat enhancements to the Upper Cray, it’s a fantastic opportunity to help restore your local river for the benefit of nature!

Join us to help construct brash wood berms to the River Cray using natural products. Berms are in channel features which narrow a channel and provide changes to the flow to help restore natural processes.

Anyone over 16 years of age is welcome, no previous volunteering or river restoration experience is required and full instruction and supervision will be given on the day.

This is physical work and whilst we will make every effort to provide a selection of different tasks, the work may not be suitable for anyone with back problems or other musculoskeletal injury.

All tools and equipment, inc. steel toe waders and gloves will be provided.

Meeting point: Riverside Gardens. Nearest postcode: BR5 4AB. Exact meeting point will be sent out to all attendees once signed up. Google map HERE

What to bring: Please wear appropriate clothes and footwear, it maybe cold so some extra layers and thick socks are advisable. We will provide hot refreshments but please bring a bottle of water and a packed lunch.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL – please RSVP using the button below and complete the form to secure your spot.

In the event of poor weather, this activity may need to be rescheduled. We will notify all attendees by phone/email if this occurs.

Booking for this event will close at 5pm on Monday 13th January 2025.

Minimum age 16 years old, unaccompanied 16 and 17 year old’s will need written parental consent. Please email volunteering@southeastriverstrust.org for more information.

Please email volunteering@southeastriverstrust.org to:

  • Find out more information,
  • Cancel your space if you can no longer make it,
  • Submit parental consent for unaccompanied16 &17 year old’s.

To read our Health and Safety Guidelines for this event please click HERE.

Photos and video footage will be taken at this event and used by the Trust for promotional purposes (including but not limited to printed materials, social media, newsletters and the website) and potentially shared with our external partners and funders. From time to time, external media agencies could also take photos, film or record our events.

The Trust’s lawful basis for processing this is “Legitimate Interests” under the General Data Protection Regulations. As an individual you have rights. If you wish for SERT to stop processing this data for you, please talk to a member of staff or email info@southeastriverstrust.org.

To read our Privacy Policy and see how we use and look after the information you provide when booking your spot at our events please click HERE.

Water Vole Survey Community Event for the Upper Beult Project – River Medway

What are we doing?

Come and join us in Shadoxhurst, Kent, to learn about our Upper Beult wetland creation project and help us survey for Water Voles. These large voles, which are only found along grassy banks of suitable watercourses, were once widespread across much of the UK and Moat Farm is still home to them.

We will head out across the picturesque site and look for water voles, burrows, latrines and feeding signs to better understand their presence and distribution.

Meeting point: Moat Farm, Shadoxhurst, Kent TN26 1LY.  Google map HERE, What3Words: ///hedgehog.chosen.motorist

Parking available on site

What to bring:

  • Comfortable, sturdy shoes. Hiking boots or wellies are both suitable.
  • Weather appropriate clothing. Please bring a waterproof coat and extra layer if it’s chilly or a hat and suncream if it’s likely to be hot.
  • A bottle of water and a reusable coffee cup. We will have water, refreshments and cups available but you may want to bring your own as well.
  • A packed lunch.
  • Outdoor or gardening gloves if you have, if not we will have some spare.

Plan for the day: 

10:00 – Meet, look out for the SERT flag!

10:15 – Introduction to SERT, H&S and overview of the day. Tea and coffees will be available.

10:45 – Get kitted up and head down to the river to start the water vole survey.

12:15 – Lunch.

13:00 – Continuation of water vole survey.

14:00 – Finish

BOOKING ESSENTIAL – please RSVP using the button below and complete the form to secure your spot.

Booking for this event will close at 5pm on Wednesday 2nd October.

Please email volunteering@southeastriverstrust.org to:

  • Find out more information,
  • Cancel your space if you can no longer make it.

To read our Health and Safety Guidelines for this event please click HERE.

Photos and video footage will be taken at this event and used by the Trust for promotional purposes (including but not limited to printed materials, social media, newsletters and the website) and potentially shared with our external partners and funders. From time to time, external media agencies could also take photos, film or record our events.

The Trust’s lawful basis for processing this is “Legitimate Interests” under the General Data Protection Regulations. As an individual you have rights. If you wish for SERT to stop processing this data for you, please talk to a member of staff or email info@southeastriverstrust.org.

To read our Privacy Policy and see how we use and look after the information you provide when booking your spot at our events please click HERE.

Information and Activity Stand for World Rivers Day- Stepping Stones, Box Hill- River Mole

Join us at the Stepping Stones across the River Mole at Box Hill in Surrey on World Rivers Day, Sunday 22nd September, to learn more about the River Mole and what we are doing to help it thrive.

We will also have activities for children including a river dipping table, crafts and a river themed scavenger hunt.  

We will be joined by volunteers from River Mole River Watch who do extensive water quality testing along the River Mole which shows a true picture of the stresses the river is under as well as successful actions which have taken place due to their results.

Our stalls will be set up in by the Stepping Stones if they are passable, if the river level is too high we will be set up by the bridge. 

Stepping Stones Walk, London Rd, Dorking RH5 6AE. Google Map what3words ///belly.yarn.silver 

There is no need to book for any of the activities, just come along on the day. 

Making a difference during Loddon Rivers Week

Posted on by Ian Lamont

Almost a year to the day that the South East Rivers Trust constructed a backwater on the River Loddon in Charvil Meadows, we were back to do further enhancements as part of Loddon Rivers Week 2021.

This was just one of a series of river work that took place during this celebration of the River Loddon and its tributaries, between 18th-26th September. The work to co-ordinate the week was funded by the Environment Agency.

During the week, volunteers planted native plants to stabilise the banks of the previously constructed backwater, put in gravel to a chalk stream, tackled invasive species and enjoyed learning about bats.

Several partners were involved in the week, including Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, the Loddon Fisheries and Conservation Consultative, Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, Hampshire County Council and Dinton Pastures County Park.