Be the river’s voice! Volunteer with the River Wey Catchment

The River Wey flows through the heart of our community, and its health depends on all of us. Whether you can give an hour a week or a whole weekend, there is a role for you in our growing network of river stewards.
No experience needed. Just curiosity, a willingness to learn, and a drive to protect our waters.

Help us gather data for the Big River Watch! April 24-27

Whether you’re joining us at our Guildford event on Saturday 25 April or not, we’re asking EVERYONE to walk by the river and take observations on the Big River Watch App from Friday 24 April to Monday 27 April. Take as many samples as you can as you explore and walk along the river. Download the app now!

Our mission

We’re a community-led initiative bringing together volunteers, partner organisations, and river advocates to monitor, protect, and celebrate the River Wey catchment, contributing real data to an open platform that anyone can access.

This initiative is delivered in partnership with:

  • Water Rangers: the platform and community-science backbone that empowers volunteers to test, share, and understand local water quality data.
  • The River Wey Trust: championing the river’s long-term health through habitat restoration, education, and catchment-wide stewardship. Become a member of the River Wey Trust and show your support!
  • ZERO Carbon Guildford: connecting river action with broader sustainability goals for the town and its surrounding environment.

Find your fit: volunteer roles

Last Sunday of the month water testing

Join us on the last Sunday of every month for a community water testing session along the River Wey. Test for chemistry and E. coli at designated sites, upload your results, and connect with fellow river stewards. A great entry point if you’re new to volunteering. We’re seeking funding to establish new spots, but you can be teamed up with existing spots to help monitor regularly. Contact us to find out where and when.


Kick testing

Take part in kick sampling surveys to assess the health of the river through its invertebrate life. Kick testing involves disturbing the riverbed and collecting the small creatures that live there… a brilliant indicator of water quality and habitat health. Sessions are run seasonally and are suitable for all ages and abilities. No experience needed, just a willingness to get your feet wet. There’s regular testing in Liphook with the River Wey Trust (see below!) and other spots through partners.


Community lab sampler

Collect water samples at assigned river sites on Friday mornings, ready for E. coli testing. We have designated spots that need to be sampled!


Delivery volunteer

Keep the lab running by transporting samples from collection points to our Community Lab. Vital for anyone who can drive or are taking the train into Guildford on Friday mornings (volunteers can meet you at the station!).


Community lab volunteer

Process and read E. coli samples in our friendly Community Lab (Fri & Sat mornings, 10am–12pm). Learn real laboratory skills alongside fellow volunteers. We have limited spots, but always looking for keen volunteers to help processing as well as packing supplies. Usually enough space for 1-2 new volunteers each Friday and Saturday, sign up through ZERO.


Other opportunities

We also need help preparing, organising, and restocking testing kits ahead of sampling days. A great flexible role for those with limited or varied availability. We also have river walks, clean-ups, planting native species or removing invasives. The calendar of events is below.

Ready to get involved?

Here’s a taste of what we do from April 2026!

  1. If you’re interested in Kicktesting, visit River Wey Trust to join us on the last Sunday of every month in Allee’s Meadow in Liphook.
  2. If you’re interested in the lab, join ZERO Guildford as a volunteer. You can volunteer Friday or Saturday morning.
  3. Attend a community event to meet the team: check the Zero Carbon Guildford website for upcoming dates.
  4. Join us at events outlined in the calendar and below.

Upcoming events

  • Sat 25th April:  Water Blitz Event. At Zero. 10-12pm
  • Sat 25th April:  Earth Day at Haslemere Museum  10-12pm
  • Sunday 26th April: Water Quality and RiverFly. Allee’s Meadow in Liphook. 10-12pm
  • 10th May: Gilbert White Nature Day
  • 23rd May – 31st May:  London Rivers Week 2026
  • From 1st June: Let’s Pull Together – Balsam Bash. I’d love help to coordinate this catchment‑wide effort. If you’re planning an event or have ideas for how we can maximise impact, please let Alex know (alex@waterrangers.com).
  • 6th June – 14th June: The Great Big Green Week We need your help please. 
  • Sunday 14th June: Big Green Day in Guildford.  Zero, WR & RWT focusing on river action and fundraising.
  • 13th-14th June: Bramshott Open Gardens  Allee’s Meadow

Interested but not sure where to start? Email us at alex@waterrangers.com with the role(s) that interest you and your availability and we can guide you through next steps.

Every test, every sample, every result matters. Thank you for being part of The River Wey community.