Bristol Avon Rivers Trust

Bristol Frome River Clean: Yate
2022-09-24 09:30 - 14:00 (Europe/London) | Crowthers Avenue, Yate, Crowthers Avenue, Yate, BS37
Join BART on our river clean event along the Bristol Frome to celebrate World Rivers Day 2022. The Saturday river clean will be held in Yate, and the second event on the Sunday will be held at Eastville park in Bristol. We are looking for keen volunteers in and around Bristol to join us to help clean the Bristol Frome.
For more information and booking click here.

Bristol Frome River Clean: Eastville Park
2022-09-25 09:30 - 14:00 (Europe/London) | Fishponds Road, Eastville Park, Fishponds Road, Bristol, BS5 6XA
Join BART on our river clean event along the Bristol Frome to celebrate World Rivers Day 2022. The Sunday river clean will be held in Eastville park in Bristol. We are looking for keen volunteers in and around Bristol to join us to help clean the Bristol Frome.
For more information and booking click here.

River Dipping - Midsomer Norton
2022-10-01 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | Wellow Brook – Midsomer Norton
Join Bristol Avon Rivers Trust at your local river for a river dipping session. This involves sampling invertebrates and building rafts from natural materials! Become a river detective where you can sample the river and understand more about the water quality along your local river!
Suitable for children age 5+
If you would like to get involved please contact: molly@bristolavonriverstrust.org

Stoke Brook River Restoration
2022-10-03 - 2022-10-07 | Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre, BS32 9BS
Join BART to improve in-river habitat for Stoke Brook within the Bristol Frome catchment. We are looking for volunteers to join us.

Meeting location 9:30am:Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre, Fiddlers Wood Ln, Bradley Stoke, Bristol, BS32 9BS

Finish about 3:30pm.

This task involves lifting tree branches and large woody debris, whilst wading through the river to create brushwood berm features.
Please bring:

Wellies – waders preferred as the river will be deep in places.
Appropriate clothing for the weather, e.g coat
Food and water for the day
Gloves
Hand sanitiser

Materials and tools will be provided.
Please note children aged 16 and under are not covered by our insurance and this task may not be suitable/ safe for them to attend.
For any questions please email Rozy: rozy@bristolavonriverstrust.org

What is a brushwood berm?
As shown above, the structures are constructed using natural materials; by coppicing trees on the riverbanks and securing limbs into the riverbed at the correct angle into the flow. The space behind the tree limb extending into the channel and the riverbank is packed with brushwood and secured in place. These structures help to re-meander the profile of the river and provide a diverse range of habitat. Over time, the structures will accumulate sediment and eventually vegetate to become part of the riverbank.

Sign up through the Eventbrite website:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bristol-frome-habitat-improvement-tickets-414590640767

River Dipping - Norton St Philip
2022-10-22 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | Norton St Philip, Scouts Hut
Join Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART) at your local river for a river dipping session. This involves sampling invertebrates and building rafts from natural materials! Become a river detective where you can sample the river and understand more about the water quality along your local river!
Suitable for children age 5+
If you would like to get involved, please contact molly@bristolavonriverstrust.org

Stoke Brook River Restoration week 2
2022-10-24 - 2022-10-28 | Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre, BS32 9BS
Join BART to improve in-river habitat for Stoke Brook within the Bristol Frome catchment. We are looking for volunteers to join us.

Meeting location 9:30am:Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre, Fiddlers Wood Ln, Bradley Stoke, Bristol, BS32 9BS

Finishing about 3:30pm.

This task involves lifting tree branches and large woody debris, whilst wading through the river to create brushwood berm features.
Please bring:

Wellies – waders preferred as the river will be deep in places.
Appropriate clothing for the weather, e.g coat
Food and water for the day
Gloves
Hand sanitiser

Materials and tools will be provided.
Please note children aged 16 and under are not covered by our insurance and this task may not be suitable/ safe for them to attend.
For any questions please email Rozy: rozy@bristolavonriverstrust.org

What is a brushwood berm?
As shown above, the structures are constructed using natural materials; by coppicing trees on the riverbanks and securing limbs into the riverbed at the correct angle into the flow. The space behind the tree limb extending into the channel and the riverbank is packed with brushwood and secured in place. These structures help to re-meander the profile of the river and provide a diverse range of habitat. Over time, the structures will accumulate sediment and eventually vegetate to become part of the riverbank.

Sign up through the Eventbrite website:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bristol-frome-habitat-improvement-tickets-414590640767

Yellow Fish Event - St Werburghs
2023-02-16 10:00 - 13:00 UTC | Gatton Road, St Werburgh’s, Gatton Road Saint Werburgh's, Bristol, BS2 9TF, United Kingdom
Come and join BART to help raise awareness of the threats facing the Bristol Frome river and its wildlife by painting yellow fish on pavements!
Did you know that surface road drains lead directly into your local watercourse? Anything other than rain that goes down the drain such as litter, car oils, detergents and wastewater can harm river health and its wildlife. Our fish, invertebrates and other river life need your help! BART are looking for volunteers in Bristol to help raise awareness that only rain should go down the drain.
BART are running a Yellow Fish campaign to raise awareness of the threats to the Bristol Frome river and its wildlife. This event involves putting up posters to spread the message and painting yellow fish next to surface road drains. Keep an eye out for yellow fish near you and spread the message of ‘Only Rain Down the Drain!’
Your help would be very much appreciated! Help your river and its wildlife and sign up via eventbrite:

Thank you to the EA for funding these events and support from Bristol City council.

Yellow Fish Event - Eastville
2023-03-18 10:00 - 13:00 UTC | Ashdene Avenue, Eastville, Ashdene Avenue, Eastville, Bristol, BS5 6QH

RiverBlitz - Be a citizen scientist!
2023-07-07 - 2023-07-14 | Bristol Avon catchment
The Bristol Avon RiverBlitz (July 7th -14th) is a citizen science event where as many volunteers as possible sign up and collect water quality data. Volunteers collect phosphate and nitrate samples from a river or stream of their choice in the Bristol Avon catchment. BART then use the data to assess the health of our rivers and to inform our work to improve rivers for people and wildlife.
Anyone can join in! You can pick up a kit at one of our in-person events.
**Limited number of kits available – comer early to get one**
Once you have your kit, you need to sample a stream or river between July 7th – 14th and upload your data onto BART’s online tool.
The more people who get involved, the more data we collect!
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED BUT SOME KITS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS. Come early not to be disappointed!

RiverBlitz Event - Land Yeo, Watercress Farm
2023-07-08 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | Watercress Farm, Wraxall, Near Tyntsfield, BS48 1NE
Come and join the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust team and Avon Wildlife Trust at our Bristol Avon RiverBlitz event for the Land Yeo at Watercress Farm near Tyntsfield.
The Bristol Avon RiverBlitz (July 7th -14th) is a citizen science event where as many volunteers as possible sign up and collect water quality data. You can come to one of four in-person events, including this one at Watercress Farm, and pick up your kit. Once you have collected your samples in a stream or river of your choice in the Bristol Avon catchment, you will upload your data using BART’s online tool.
At the in-person events, you will be able to chat to the team and we can guide you through the sampling process.
We will be at Watercress Farm with our stall and our water testing kits. We would love to see you there!
Once you have turned into Watercress Farm, keep following the track until you see RiverBlitz signs.
The site is lovely, you might see the resident free-ranging cows and pigs and you can have a look at the awesome, large scale river restoration work going on there.
Guided walk of Watercress Farm 11am: Avon Wildlife Trust will be hosting a guided walk around the farm to show visitors features of the river and also the awesome river restoration work going on there. The river is being re-routed to take a more natural meandering route which will give a huge boost to biodiversity. See the project in it’s early stages.

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED BUT SOME KITS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS. Come early not to be disappointed!

RiverBlitz Event - River Chew, Keynsham
2023-07-08 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | Keynsham Memorial Park, Keynsham Memorial Park, Keynsham, BS31 1HL
Come and join the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust team at our Bristol Avon RiverBlitz event on the River Chew in Keynsham Memorial Park!
The Bristol Avon RiverBlitz (July 7th -14th) is a citizen science event where as many volunteers as possible sign up and collect water quality data. You can come to one of four in-person events, including this one ain Keynsham, and pick up your kit. Once you have collected your samples in a stream or river of your choice in the Bristol Avon catchment, you will upload your data using BART’s online tool.
At the in-person events, you will be able to chat to the team and we can guide you through the sampling process.
We will be in Keynsham Memorial Park with our stall and our water testing kits. We would love to see you there!
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED BUT SOME KITS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS. Come early not to be disappointed!

RiverBlitz Event - River Biss, Trowbridge
2023-07-09 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | Trowbridge Park Pond, Trowbridge Park, Trowbridge, BA14 7EH
Come and join the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust team at our Bristol Avon RiverBlitz event on the River Biss in Trowbridge Park Pond!
The Bristol Avon RiverBlitz (July 7th -14th) is a citizen science event where as many volunteers as possible sign up and collect water quality data. You can come to one of four in-person events, including this one at Trowbridge Park Pond, and pick up a kit. Once you have collected your samples in a stream or river of your choice in the Bristol Avon catchment, you will upload your data using BART’s online tool.
At the in-person events, you will be able to chat to the team and we can guide you through the sampling process.
We will be at Trowbridge Park Pond with our stall and our water testing kits. We would love to see you there!
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED BUT SOME KITS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS. Come early not to be disappointed!

RiverBlitz Event - Midsomer Norton
2023-07-09 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | Midsomer Norton Park, Midsomer Norton Park, BA3 2UH
Come and join the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust team at our Bristol Avon RiverBlitz event for the Cam and Wellow Brooks in Midsomer Norton!
The Bristol Avon RiverBlitz (July 7th -14th) is a citizen science event where as many volunteers as possible sign up and collect water quality data. You can come to one of four in-person events, including this one at Midsomer Norton, and pick up a kit. Once you have collected your samples in a stream or river of your choice in the Bristol Avon catchment, you will upload your data using BART’s online tool.
At the in-person events, you will be able to chat to the team and we can guide you through the sampling process.
We will be in Midsomer Norton Town Park with our stall and our water testing kits. We would love to see you there!
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED BUT SOME KITS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS. Come early not to be disappointed!

Saving Water for River Wildlife - a talk and discussion
2023-07-18 19:30 - 21:00 UTC | Old School Rooms, Chew Magna, BS40 8SH
BART are hosting a talk and discussion about the future of our water supply, what the issues mean for river wildlife and what we can all do to help. Come and find out how the pressures of climate change and increased population are predicted to impact our water resources, how the inevitable low river levels affects various freshwater species and what action can be taken to strengthen our water resilience. Discussion about the best steps to take will be very much encouraged!

All welcome!

Yellow Fish Event - Chippenham
2023-07-22 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | Riverside Drive Chippenham, Riverside Drive, Chippenham, SN15, United Kingdom
Help your local river by painting yellow fish!!
Join BART for one of our Yellow Fish events.
You will paint yellow fish next to surface drains to raise awareness that ONLY RAIN SHOULD GO DOWN THE DRAIN!
These drains often lead straight to a river or stream and is not treated. Whatever is poured down the drain can end up straight in the river. This can be damaging to the river ecosystem.
Come and paint yellow fish in Chippenham!
If you would like to take part please sign up via Eventbrite

River Dipping - Chew Magna
2023-07-25 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | Chew Magna
Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART) is running a river dipping session for local community groups, residents, families and friends. Come along to gain a better understanding of your local waterway and the true delights it has to offer!
The session involves sampling and identifying invertebrates in the local watercourse, as well as mini-raft building from all natural materials. The session is finished off by racing the creatively built rafts down the river!
This is a drop in session that is running from 10:00am until 2:00pm, so feel free to stay as long as you would like!
Wellies are required, but nets and river dipping equipment will be provided!
Please sign up via Eventbrite and you will be kept up to date on the location.
Suitable for children age 5+

River Nature Walk, Hartcliffe
2023-10-14 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Hartcliffe Morrisons, Peterson Ave, Bristol BS13 0BE
Join BART for a relaxed nature walk and talk along the Pigeonhouse Stream, Hartcliffe.
We will walk a 1.5 mile circular route along the Pigeonhouse Stream and back through Wilmott Park. Along the way you will learn about this urban stream, its wonderful wildlife and what can be done to improve its health. You can also learn about what Bristol Avon Rivers Trust have been doing in the area to help local streams and rivers. All welcome!
Meet outside Morrisons, Peterson Ave. You can park here.
The walk will take about two hours, making plenty of stops to take in the wildlife and moving at a pace that suits everyone.
Please sign up here so that we know numbers. Any questions or issues please email: amy@bristolavonriverstrust.org

Half term River Fun Session, South Bristol
2023-10-24 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | Manor Woods Valley, Crantock Ave, Bristol BS13 7QW
Join BART for a half term river fun session! Come along to Manor Woods Valley in South Bristol for some fun activities and free cake!
There will be scavenger hunts, meet the river minibeasts and river art activities with hot drinks, squash and cake on offer.
Grown ups can chat to BART staff about their local river and the issues it faces.
We would love to see you there! Especially if you live nearby.
Please sign up here so we know how much cake to bring!

River Detectives Workshop - South Bristol
2023-11-15 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Crox Bottom, Crox Bottom, Bristol, BS13 7TJ, United Kingdom
Do you live in or near South Bristol? Would you be interested in becoming a regular citizen science volunteer?
BART are recruiting volunteers in the South Bristol area to become River Detectives. Each River Detective is assigned a site on one of their local streams or rivers and will take monthly samples to monitor water quality.
We need volunteers on the River Malago, Pigeonhouse Stream, Collitors Brook and Brislington Brook. These watercourses run through Long Ashton, Ashton Vale, Bedminster, Bedminster Down, Bishopsworth, Withywood, HartCliffe and nearby areas.
There will be a training workshop at 2pm on Weds 15th November at Crox Bottom Nature Reserve. At the workshop, volunteers will: learn how to take water quality samples, choose sites, and pick up their water testing kits.
If you would like to be a River Detective in the South Bristol area but cannot make the workshop, please contact Amy (see below) and we should be able to make alternative arrangements.
If you are interested or have any questions, please contact amy@bristolavonriverstrust.org

Pickedmoor Rhine River Restoration
2023-11-16 - 2023-11-17 | Swallow Park, Swallow Park, Thornbury, BS35
Join Bristol Avon Rivers Trust for a day of practical conservation work to help restore the Pickedmoor Rhine river in Thornbury.
The river channel is currently over straightened with a excess of sediment on the bed. To encourage natural river processes to return and to enhance the biodiversity of the river this project will construct 10 complex woody material structures. These structures help diversify flow conditions, filter out sediments and provide refuge for river wildlife.
The day will involve lots of physical labour both along and within the river channel to build the structures. The work involves using tools (hammers and saws) and takes place on often uneven and slippy ground. Because of the working conditions, anyone interested in signing up should self assess whether they feel they can safely undertake these tasks.
The ending of each day may vary depending on conditions on the ground.
Please sign up for the event via EventBrite
If you have any questions, email jacob@bristolavonriverstrust.org

River Walk - Stoke Gifford
2023-12-10 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | Meade park car park, Meade Park Car Park, BS34 8NF
Join BART for a 3km guided walk along Stoke Brook showcasing the habitat restoration work we have been doing in the area. Come and see what BART have done to reduce flood risk and improve the health of the brook using nature-based solutions.
We will meet in Meade Park Car Park and walk to see leaky dams, woody berms and large wood debris installed in the brook. These structures help slow the flow of water, reconnect the brook with its floodplain and improve habitat diversity. BART’s engagement and education officer will talk about the work done and how it helps improve this heavily modified river.
The pace of the walk will be slow, making plenty of stops to talk about the river.
The event is free, but please sign up via EventBrite (or contact amy@bristolavonriverstrust.org)

Lego Workshop - build a river friendly house
2023-12-20 13:30 - 15:00, 2023-12-20 15:30 - 17:00 UTC | Frenchay Village Hall, Beckspool Rd, Bristol, BS16 1NU
This will be an hour and a half workshop where children and their accompanying adult will build a river friendly house from Lego and other materials. Their house will help reduce flooding and sewage overflow by slowing down rain water. Children will test their houses to see how much water they hold back.
A fun activity for children aged about 5 – 10 years with a really important environmental message.
Book one place per child attending and children must be accompanied by an adult. Maximum 3 children per adult.
Book via EventBrite. Places are limited.

Half term 'Love Your River' Fun Session, South Bristol
2024-02-14 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | Valley Walk, Hartcliffe, Valley Walk, Bristol, BS13 0HB
Join BART and Your Park for a half term river fun session! Come along to Valley Walk, Hartcliffe in South Bristol for some fun activities and free cake!
There will be a river scavenger hunt, meet the river minibeasts and river art activities with hot drinks, squash and cake on offer.
Grown ups can chat to BART staff about their local river and the issues it faces.
We would love to see you there! Especially if you live nearby.
Please sign up here so we know how much cake to bring!

River Dipping in Winterbourne
2024-02-24 11:00 - 14:00 UTC | Mill Road, Winterbourne, Mill Road, Winterbourne, BS36 1BS
Join BART for a river dipping event in Winterbourne. Have fun kicking about in the river, capturing minibeasts and having a go at identifying them.
For more information and to book your free place, visit Eventbrite here.

River Detectives Workshop - Bristol
2024-02-27 14:00 - 15:30 UTC | Bathurst Basin, Bathurst Basin, Bristol, BS1 6FU
Do you live in or near central Bristol? Would you be interested in becoming a regular citizen science volunteer?
BART are recruiting volunteers in the central Bristol area to become River Detectives. Each River Detective is assigned a site on one of their local streams or rivers and will take monthly samples to monitor water quality.
We need volunteers on the Floating Harbour, New Cut, main River Avon, and Sitson Brook.
There will be a training workshop at 2pm on Tues 27th February at Bathurst Basin. At the workshop, volunteers will: learn how to take water quality samples, be assigned sites, and pick up their water testing kits.
If you would like to be a River Detective in the central Bristol area but cannot make the workshop, please contact Amy (see below) and we should be able to make alternative arrangements.
If you are interested or have any questions, please contact amy@bristolavonriverstrust.org

River Detectives Workshop - River Trym, Bristol
2024-07-18 19:00 - 20:00 UTC | Coombe Dingle, BS9 2RG
Many of our rivers across the Avon catchment are in poor ecological condition. With the help of water quality data collected by our team of River Detective volunteers, we are able to monitor their condition, helping us to focus our river restoration projects on the areas that need it most.
Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART) are running a free training workshop at 7:00pm on Thurs 18 July on the River Trym at Coombe Dingle. During the workshop, volunteers will be shown by members of the BART team how to collect water samples taken from the river and be given their own water quality testing kit to take home and use as part of our on-going River Detectives volunteer program.
Participants are welcomed from all backgrounds, with no previous experience of volunteering, or river monitoring being required.
River Detectives is BART’s leading citizen science project and involves volunteers across local communities conducting long-term water quality monitoring of key sections of our local rivers. At present, we especially need more River Detective volunteers to monitor areas of the River Trym and Hazel Brook. More can be found out about River Detectives project here.
If you would like to attend the training evening at 7:00pm on 18 July, please sign up here.
If you have any questions, or are interested in becoming a River Detective but cannot make the workshop, please contact Dan, and we may be able to make alternative arrangements.

Flood Watch Training Workshop
2024-08-08 16:00 - 18:00 UTC | Midsomer Norton, 14 South Road, Midsomer Norton, BA3 2EZ
Calling all citizen scientists! Fancy surveying your local green space for flooding and it’s contributing factors? Then maybe you should become a Flood Watcher! Join Bristol Avon Rivers Trust and Somer Valley Reconnected for an introductory training workshop on the new River Detectives – Flood Watch programme. The event runs from 4-6pm on Thursday 8th of August. Sign up through this EventBrite link.

Manor Woods Valley River Dip
2024-08-29 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | Manor Woods Valley, Crantock Ave, Bristol BS13 7QW
Get to know the local minibeasts that inhabit the River Malago. This August our staff at BART are hosting a little workshop on the many small invertebrates and fish that make their home in our urban streams, learn about how to identify them and how BART collects and uses data on freshwater invertebrates.
Meeting at the Southern entrance to Manor Woods.
Find out more and sign up here.

Nightingale Valley River Dip
2024-08-30 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | Nightingale Valley, 3 Woodcroft Close, BS4 4QP
Get to know the local minibeasts that inhabit the Brislington Brook. This August our staff at BART are hosting a little workshop on the many small invertebrates and fish that make their home in our urban streams, learn about how to identify them and how BART collects and uses data on freshwater invertebrates.
Find out more and sign up here.
