Our 'Wild Waters River Festival' Events

Date: Tuesday 3rd June 2025 [past event] * weather dependent *  and  booking required.

Meeting point: Recreation Ground car park, Box, SN13 8NT; what3words ///reserving.elated.darkest.

Time: 9.30am - 11.30am.

Walk lead: Keith Mortimer.

Organised by: Wild Colerne.
 

Dippers are unique for their ability to forage underwater for small invertebrates in fast flowing streams. Sadly, their numbers are declining with a 50% decrease in the breeding population between 1995 and 2022. They are now classified in the UK as Amber under the Birds of Conservation Concern. The By Brook is the best place in Wiltshire to see Dippers. Join Colerne bird expert Keith Mortimer on a walk to see these special birds on a walk alongside the By Brook. Other target birds will be Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and Swallows.

Date: Sunday 8th June 2025 [past event]

Time: 10.30 – 3pm.

Venue: Colerne Market Place and St John the Baptist Churchyard, SN14 8EF.

Organised by: Wild Colerne.

The main theme of this year’s Wild Colerne Nature day is 'Water'
as we take part in the Wild Waters River Festival. 

Come and browse stalls in Colerne Market Place area and in the churchyard.

 

Call in to the church from 12 noon to have a peaceful moment watching a display of photos taken locally along our brooks, accompanied by the sound of birdsong.

This is a child friendly event with a Children’s Nature Activity Corner and Face painting. 
Water themed poems and art by children from Colerne CE Primary School will be displayed.

 

Food and drink: Coffee Gang van with coffee and cake, Doncombe beef rolls.

Car Parking: available in Colerne CE Primary School car park.

Date: Monday 9^th June 2025 [past event]

Time: 7.30pm. Doors open from 7pm.

Venue: Colerne ParishCouncil 'Old School Rooms', Vicarage Lane, SN14 8EL.

Organised by: Wild Colerne.

 

Speakers:

• Samantha Vince - Head of Water Compliance Wessex Water
• Daniel Nicholas - Surveys and Monitoring Officer for Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART).   

Have you ever wondered where our drinking water comes from, and what testing and monitoring is done by Wessex Water.  What happens to our wastewater and what are the challenges for keeping pollutants out of our rivers?  Samantha Vince has 30 years experience working in the Water Industry and for the Drinking Water Quality Regulator.

Dan Nichols will be bringing some river invertebrates fresh from the Box By Brook so we can get up close with some of these fantastic insects. They need a healthy river to survive so are excellent 'canaries in the mine' for how a waterway is doing. Dan’s talk will cover the key biological monitoring BART conducts (with the help of citizen science volunteers) as well as the work BART has been doing in the Avon catchment, the key threats facing our rivers, and what we as citizens can do about them.  

Q&A session - join the post talk discussion.

Date: Friday 13^th June 2025 [past event]

Time: 7.30pm-9pm, doors open 7pm.

Venue: St John the Baptist Church, Vicarage Lane, Colerne, SN14 8EL.

Organised by: Wild Colerne.

 

The Guardian gave this 2023 film four stars saying 

‘Campaigning never looked so fun and friendly as it does in this joyous documentary
⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

The film follows the highs and lows of the Conham Bathers, Bristol’s clean water campaigners as they fight for the safety of wild swimming on their beloved Avon River.
 

An inspiring tale of creativity and community.

 

Director and Writer: Charlotte Sawyer.

 

This event was organised by Wild Colerne in collaboration with St John the Baptist Eco Church, and supported by Colerne Parish Council.

Donations to the work of Bristol and Avon Riverside Trust welcome.