Sustainability Spotlight: April 2025
Year 1 Review of British Rowing’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy, sign up for the Big River Watch starting on 25 April, and get involved with Plasticblitz
British Rowing’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy: Year 1 Review and Year 2 Plans
A year on from the launch of our Environmental Sustainability Strategy in March 2024, we have published a review of what we’ve achieved against the six objectives set out in the strategy.
The review also includes a look ahead to what we aim to do in year 2.
Guidance for Rowing when Water Quality is Poor
This guidance has been slightly updated. It covers:
- Mitigations to take when water quality is poor.
- What to do if you become sick.
- How various club roles should respond to poor water quality.
Big River Watch
The Big River Watch is an annual citizen science event, organised by our partner, The Rivers Trust, which is taking place from 25 April to 1 May this year.
Get involved and help us track river health across the UK and Ireland! All you need to do is:
✅ Download the free Big River Watch app (available in English and Welsh).
✅ Visit your local river.
✅ Complete a quick survey to tell The Rivers Trust what you see, from pollution to wildlife.
Sign up now for Plasticblitz 2025 (31 May-15 June)!
80% of the plastic waste pollution found in the world seas and oceans gets there after from our rivers and streams. In other words, our rivers are now effectively channeling plastic from inland areas to the sea. However, once plastic has entered a river, there is no statutory obligation for any organisation or public body to remove it.
That’s where Plasticblitz comes in!
What is Plasticblitz?
Plasticblitz is an annual event that aims to engage as many community groups and Environment Agency teams as possible with taking part in a simultaneous litter pick and data collection activity around their local river over a two week period between Saturday, 31 May and Sunday, 15 June 2025.
This event has three key aims:
- To complete a catchment-wide clean-up of plastic pollution.
- To collect data on the most common plastic items found, and the areas where plastic pollution is most problematic. This data can be used to educate, create publicity and lobby for change.
- To join up multiple community groups, amplifying their voices and helping them share ideas.
We will be taking part in Plasticblitz this year as part of a nationwide campaign to help clear our rivers of plastic pollution. If you’d like to register your own group, then Thames 21 (a charity that’s part of the Rivers Trust movement and is based on the Thames, but for this campaign working nationally) will guide you on what to do, and possibly link you to local groups taking part etc.
Note: British Rowing’s insurance broker Marsh Sport has confirmed that Affiliation Plus clubs have appropriate Public Liability insurance cover to participate in this activity. Other clubs should check with their insurers. Rowing clubs do not count as ‘corporate groups’ for this purpose irrespective of the legal structure of their club.
Not done a Plasticblitz before?
Join one of Thames21’s ‘How To Plasticblitz’ webinars (registration not required), which will cover everything you need to know to plan a Plasticblitz event. You can also ask any questions!
Tuesday, 22 April, 18:30-19:00, join here >>
Wednesday, 23 April, 13:00-13:30, join here >>
Become a ‘Friend of the Thames’
A new ‘Friends of the River Thames’ body has been set up and has just gained charitable status.
We strongly encourage clubs to sign up (it’s free); there is a monthly community online meeting.  The aim is to create river guardians and join together to strengthen campaigns and hold centralised data that is available for everyone to see.
Friends of the Thames will be holding a river guardian introductory meeting at the British Rowing office in Hammersmith on 22 May 2025.
Government commits to new standards to assess applications for ‘bathing water’ status
The plans being developed include expanding the definition of ‘bathers’ to include paddlesport participants such as rowers.
