A passionate campaigner who symbolically married the River Avon has successfully convinced Bath and North East Somerset Council to take stronger steps to protect the river. On July 16, the council unanimously voted to endorse a charter recognizing the river’s right to exist, flow sustainably, and remain free from pollution. This initiative is part of a broader effort by the campaign group ‘We Are Avon’ to have all councils along the river’s 83-mile course commit to the same protections.
Meg Avon, a researcher and performance poet who wed the river in a 2023 ceremony to raise awareness about water pollution, was among those speaking at the council meeting. She emphasized the need to see humans and nature as interconnected, stating, “Recognizing these rights is not a radical act. Humans and nature are not separate, we are together.”
The campaign group has already mobilized 120 river guardians to monitor the river and oversee 260,000 acres of its surrounding bioregion. Their goal is to have every council along the main river and its tributaries adopt the “charter for our Avon bioregion” to ensure consistent protection.
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Their efforts follow the example of the River Wye, which became the first British river in May to secure commitments from all councils along its course to protect it. Councillor Andy Wait of Bath and North East Somerset highlighted the importance of a similar approach for the Avon, expressing his hope that every local authority from the river’s source to the sea would join the initiative. Winsley Parish Council in Wiltshire has already adopted the charter, recognizing that the water flowing through their area is part of the Avon system.
Council member Oli Henman described reports of people falling ill after swimming in the river as “shocking” and called for collaborative efforts to improve river water quality and biodiversity. Local residents also voiced their concerns: East Harptree mother Daisy Thompson revealed that a nearby water recycling center had discharged untreated effluent for over a thousand hours last year into a brook that feeds into the Chew River and subsequently the Avon, prompting her to stop letting her children swim in the water.
The council’s resolution goes beyond endorsing the charter, urging urgent reviews of water quality improvement measures and pressing the council leader to engage with Wessex Water through regular meetings to hold the company accountable for sewage discharges.
The River Avon, popular for swimming and recreation, has seen increasing environmental activism, notably highlighted in the film ‘Rave on for the Avon,’ which featured Meg Avon’s unique wedding ceremony. She marked her third anniversary of marriage to the river in March, continuing to advocate for its health and preservation.