May news from the UK

Posted on by Alex Pocock

Thank you to all our volunteers who carry out monthly chemistry testing, upload data, and deliver E. coli samples to the lab! Your help during packing parties and everything else keeps our work flowing. Around ten samples come in each week, and we’re always glad for backup helpers! If you’d like to join in, especially for collections from Liphook, Haslemere, Godalming or Woking, or help in the lab on Friday or Saturday mornings, please get in touch here.

May was full of events!

We ‘pulled together!’

Huge thanks to everyone who headed out in the heat for our ‘Lets pull together’ balsam bash event.  Sterling effort all round.

Big paddle clean‑up with Wey Kayak Club

Thank you to The Wey Kayak Club, who invited Water Rangers, the River Wey Trust and Zero to join them for their Big Paddle Clean‑Up. The river was alive with volunteers all doing their bit to look after the Wey. Zoe Franklin MP, a supporter of our citizen science lab at Zero, joined the event to hand out prizes to the children who paddled through the winter (photo below). A lovely moment of recognition for their grit and enthusiasm. 

Supporting our sponsors at Headley

We spent a wonderful day at Headley, set up by the cricket pitch with our display stand and activities. The local council there has been doing really meaningful work, supporting a testing spot on the river and putting serious effort into restoring and caring for their village pond. It was great to connect with a community so invested in their water.

Wind, wildlife, and wonder at Gilbert White’s House

Strong winds put Zero’s gazebo to the test, but that didn’t stop families from showing up and diving into the wonders of freshwater life. Magnifiers in hand, there was no shortage of curiosity and smiles throughout the day.

Haslemere Biodiversity Action Group

Water Rangers and The River Wey Trust were invited to their Aquatic event held at Haslemere Leisure Centre.  It was great to be surrounded by enthusiastic folks passionate about protecting and enhancing our waterways.

Friends from the River Axe visit

The Friends in the south west came to the lab to see what we do, and how we organise our testing hub groups in the Wey. They are setting up their own E.coli testing programme.

Water testing demonstrations & packing parties at Zero Carbon Guildford

We’re hosting monthly demonstrations to show people how to use our freshwater testkit and how to take samples for E.coli testing.  Every Thursday, we run packing parties in the citizen science lab based at Zero. Assembling kits, checking stock, and keeping everything running smoothly. 

If you’d like to join the next session, sign up now: Volunteer | ZeroCarbonGuildford . It’s relaxed, practical, and a great way to dip your toes into citizen science!

Are you a Duke of Edinburgh student?

Interested in water quality and citizen science? We have volunteering opportunities for some funded test sites!

The weekly task requires a site visit to collect a water sample, then incubation and results reading from home, followed by uploading data to the Water Rangers platform. 

You’re also welcome to join us at Allee’s Meadow, Liphook, on the last Sunday of each month for Water Testing Weekend and Riverfly monitoring.

Looking ahead

June is going to be another busy month, with a big focus on the Great Big Green Week (6-14th June), with the main event, for us, being Guildford Green Day

Join us!

We’re always looking for more volunteers. Follow the The River Wey Trust and Water Rangers on social media. Whether you’re a seasoned paddler, a curious beginner, or someone who just loves the Wey, there’s a place for you in this growing network of river guardians. More information is here! 

Upcoming event dates