Talks set to ignite & inspire healthy change for rivers in Brent Catchment
A series of snappy talks on the innovative ways people are rewilding hearts, minds and places in the North-West of London aims to inspire more of the community to enjoy the great outdoors. The Wild West Huddle, as the evening is being dubbed, will be packed full of high-energy, interesting talks from speakers energised by the natural world in the Brent catchment and beyond.
Hosted by the Brent Catchment Partnership, Thames21 and the Greater London National Park City Initiative, The Wild West Huddle will take place on 21 April at the Watermans Centre in Brentford between from 7pm – 9pm with the aim of inspiring more people in the North West London are to make use of urban nature in a creative way.
Francesca Campagnoli, Brent Catchment Partnership Facilitator from Thames21 said: “We’re all about inspiring people to get reacquainted, reconnected with their local waterway. This event is just one way we are doing that. At Thames21 we believe that reaching out to people beyond traditional environmental and conservation realms can really help promote care for and interest in London’s beautiful waterscapes. This evening of talks will be a chance to build momentum on ideas that break the urban-rural divide and allow us to see our local rivers as unique, urban wild spaces.”
The Wild West Huddle line up will explore:
- Childhoods ~ Daniel Raven-Ellison
- Rivers ~ Francesca Campagnoli
- Adventure ~ Paul Hyman
- Photography ~ Rudy Harding
- Art ~ Jasmine Kamal-Pasha
- Litter ~ Daniella Levene
- Orchards ~ James Morton
- Eels ~ Joe Pecorelli
Daniel Raven-Ellison, a National Geographic Emerging Explorer and one of the campaigners working to make Greater London a National Park City, said: “I live in Ealing and love exploring the River Brent, its catchments and neighbourhoods. There is so much potential to make our part of London even greener, wilder and more exciting. From cleaning our rivers by kayak and creating wildlife corridors, to encouraging more children to play outdoors, there are groups already doing great things in West by North-West London.
“The aim of the Wild West Huddle is to bring people together to ignite and spread even more of this positive energy, expertise and experience.”
The Brent Catchment Partnership works to link all interested parties to share the responsibility of caring for the waterways in the catchment of the River Brent; be they councils, charities, or members of the community. Its vision is to improve and enhance the rivers within the Brent Catchment, making them cleaner, more accessible and more attractive, to benefit people and nature.
The Brent Catchment Partnership also acts as an informal platform and network for the community to influence and shape sustainable change for their rivers, brooks, ponds, lakes and wetlands in the North West London area.
Francesca Campagnoli continued: “The reason for this collaborative approach through the Brent Catchment Partnership is simple. Everything is connected. What happens in [insert brook/river] has a direct influence and impact on the health downstream in [insert river name]. By looking at the river catchment in a holistic way means we can achieve a greater impact when improving the health of rivers across the entire area.”
The Brent Catchment Partnership website is now live and is a great way for people living within the catchment to get involved with the future of their local rivers.
www.brentcatchmentrivers.org.uk
People can stay up to date with the event through the above website as well as use the following Twitter handle and hashtag:
@WildWestHuddle | #WildWestHuddle
ENDS
Notes to editor:
About Thames21
Thames21 is an environmental charity putting healthy rivers back at the heart of community life in London. Thames21 does this through community engagement, and programmes related to education, environmental enhancements, research and advocacy.
www.thames21.org.uk | Registered Charity No. 1103997
About the Brent Catchment Partnership
The Brent Catchment Partnership (BCP) is a group of organisations who are committed to improving the rivers in the Brent catchment in North and West London. Our Vision is to improve and enhance the rivers within the Brent Catchment, making them cleaner, more accessible and more attractive, to benefit local communities and wildlife.
www.brentcatchmentrivers.org.uk
About the Greater London National Park City Initiative
One vision to inspire a million projects, making London a National Park City is a large-scale and long-term goal that is achievable through many small and everyday actions. It’s aims include to connect 100% of London’s children to nature and to radically improve improve the richness, connectivity and biodiversity of the capital’s habitats.
www.nationalparkcity.london | @LondonNPC