How to Take Positive Action for UK Waters

Captivating, that’s how UK waters make me feel. Recently I revisited an old friend, “The River Avon” tantalizingly winding with cool invitation on the first day of warm spring. My feet had walked, explored paths, taken me up hills to see the whole catchment near Bath-Eastern and witnessing the connectivity that water encompasses. I could not resist. Unplanned, I found a safe soft muddy beach, so different to the prepared belly boarding with my sons the week before at Sandown, IOW or the sea dip with friends at Dawlish when visiting family, the exhilarating snorkeling in kelp forests in Dorset or the calm acceptance given at sunrise for a morning dip in familiar Ryde Sands. It seemed so small, but theses minor victories to overcome the cold and sharp icy sensation allow me to grow to reach out beyond my sphere of comfort.

When was your last awe inspiring moment, when was you last time the world slipped away to the present without targeted mindfulness practice? Most of the people I am lucky enough to speak to place this within held presence of water, rivers, lakes and seas. Many people have written of this instinctive mindful water experience (Mindful Surfing by Sam Bleakley and Why we swim by Bonnie Tsui), but what it if it is part of a wider sense of trying to understand the systems that surround us. For these moments allow us to keep learning and expanding.

Now these very privileged experiences should be a rite to all, but there is human created pollution entering in our UK waters from; agriculture, chemicals, highway run off and sewage to name a few. Rivers Trusts and government backed nature-based solutions are being installed trying to change the way we manage our catchments, but fast enough? My personal favorite is planning requests for SuDS (susdrain.org) I am known in my Cllr role for saying “Bring on the SuDS” backed with case examples. My kids despair of me in cities, for I am always going “ooh look at the that green, wall and I am not sure on the angle of that swale” making my photo reel an interesting mix.

However without a voice for UK Waters and its users these funding streams and focus would dissipate. One such voice is the charity I am lucky enough to work for, Surfers Against Sewage.

These are our demands:

1. Public health must come first – profit from sewage pollution must end.
2. The Government must end the current privatised water industry
3. The Government must take back control of water companies, and restructure them, removing the profit motive, to ensure they operate for people and the environment. No option, including public ownership, should be off the table.

Please sign our petition here End the sewage pollution scandal | 38 Degrees

People from all corners of the nation must come together to show the people in power the tidal wave of support that exists, backing an end to sewage pollution.  We do this by Paddle-Out Protests a unique blend of vibrance, placards, chants and bringing us full circle back to the water, but this time with purpose and community. This year’s Paddle-Out will be on 16th May find one nearest on here Paddle-Out Protests 2026 - Surfers Against Sewage

Previous years have led us to have over 30,000 responses to the Cunliffe review, Water Special Measures bill implemented and sewage became an election topic for England and this year for Wales and Scotland. We work in eco system alongside other ENGO’S. I feel it is linked that the EA and water companies are investing record values into reducing pollution into our water ways.

You don’t need to be the loudest voice to create change, you just need to connect with the right people and frame it clearly. By coming to a Paddle-Out, you will spark momentum of change and know you stood up for your local space.

Creating ripples far beyond your reach alone.

Hope is sometimes really hard to hold on in this fragile world. When I feel it most is surrounded by connection and shared experience. I will leave you with a memory of a talk I gave to a swim group who are now running their own Paddle-Out ‘26. It was a still night and with my volunteers and a corn moon reflecting patterns of auburn, red and gold on water we entered a peaceful marine conservation area, no human extraction, just presence. Laughter came to a few of us. The release of tension and the ability to be topped up, to keep up our own personal and societal momentum. Be part of that momentum and watch your own ripples of change start. Step outside your comfort zone and expand. I know you can, I believe in you.