The 2024 UK River Summit and Festival will be held at Morden Hall, on the banks of the river Wandle. This post tells you everything you need to know about this year’s event, including how to get tickets!
What is the UK River Summit?
The UK River Summit is an annual event that celebrates the beauty and diversity of rivers in the UK, and raises awareness of the challenges they face. It has an emphasis on chalk streams, which are rare and valuable habitats for wildlife.
The first UK River Summit was held on 13th June 2023 on the River Test in Kimbridge, where environmental speakers and experts came together to discuss the state of our rivers in the UK.
About the 2024 UK River Summit & Festival
This year, on 21st May 2024, the UK River Summit will be held at Morden Hall on the River Wandle. The event will bring together local businesses and members of the public who share a desire to work towards a more positive future for our rivers.
The festival includes a panel discussion in the morning where leading environmentalists will discuss the state and the challenges of the UK’s waterways. Topics include water scarcity, pollution, climate change, and invasive species.
In the afternoon there will be food for the public to enjoy, as well as workshops and activities including film screenings, textile printing, art exhibitions, and hands-on outdoor experiences.
Participants
So far, participants include:
- Penny Gane – Head of Practice at Fish Legal
- Dr Bella Davies – CEO at South East Rivers Trust
- Shaun Leonard – Director at Wild Trout Trust
- Jim Murray – Actor and Founder of Activist Anglers
- Lawrence Gosden – Southern Water
- Lila Thompson – British Water
- Feargal Sharkey – River Advocate
- James Wallace – CEO of River Action UK
- Bobby Dean – Liberal Democrat Candidate for Carshalton & Wallington
- Dr Jack Hogan – renowned local historian and member of The Wandle Piscators, The Fly Connection & South East Rivers Trust
- The Wandle Industrial Museum
- The Wandle Piscators
Venue
The event will take place at: Morden Hall, 21 Morden Hall Road, London SM4 5JD.
Morden Hall is located in Morden Hall Park, just a short walk away from Morden tube station on the northern line, or Morden Road and Phipps Bridge tram stops on the Tramlink.
Morden Hall, situated on the River Wandle, is a fitting venue to host a Summit about the state of our rivers in the U.K, as it is a location which serves as a reminder of how nature, river wildlife, and urban life can peacefully coexist. It is also perfectly positioned as an accessible oasis in a bustling city, meaning we are able to welcome a much wider audience to this event. We invite the public to learn first-hand the issues our rivers are facing and distill our anger to make a positive change.
Event Schedule
The UK River Summit and Festival will take place on Tuesday 21st May 2024. The current schedule is as follows:
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 09:30 | Venue opens |
| 10:15 | UK River Summit panel begins. Speakers include Penny Gane of Fish Legal, Dr Jack Hogan of the Wandle Piscators, Jim Murray of Activist Anglers, Dr Bella Davies of SERT, and Shaun Leonard of Wild Trout Trust. |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch and refreshments with DeliVita and Lakedown Brewing Company |
| Afternoon Workshops in Morden Hall | |
| 14:00 | River Action UK panel discussion |
| 15:00 | Talk on the history of the River Wandle by Jack Hogan |
| 15:30 | Learn about fly fishing, and conservation on the River Wandle from the Wandle Piscators |
| 16:00 | Panel discussion: “Effecting Policy” with Penny Gane of Fish Legal, The Environment Agency, Stuart Singleton-White of Angling Trust and Shosha Adie of ENDS Report |
| 17:00 | Film screening of “Wandle: A River at Risk” (a documentary on sewage dumping in the River Wandle) with a panel of cast and crew |
| 18:00 | Drinks reception with Lakedown Brewing Company |
| Afternoon Workshops by the River Wandle | |
| 14:00 – 17:00 | Hands-on outdoor experiences with South East Rivers Trust and Fishing for Schools |
| 14:00 – 17:00 | Introduction to Fly Fishing and kit with Orvis UK |
| All Day Activities | |
| Art Exhibition including works from Jo Minoprio and Julia Manning | |
| Wandle Industrial Museum will hold a textile printing demonstration and display of works by William Morris, Kilburn and Liberty’s | |
| Performance by comic musician duo, The Funny Terns, British Pilgrimage Trust and more | |
| Film screening of “Hydrotherapy” by Friction Collective | |
Tickets
Tickets cost £40 which includes refreshments, lunch and all activities throughout the day.
We are excited to welcome the UK River Summit to the River Wandle in May 2024. The Wandle is an historic chalk stream at the heart of a diverse, vibrant community, and it’s especially poignant for the South East Rivers Trust as this is where we began our work 21 years ago. Since then, we’ve learned that engaging people with river habitats is key to protecting and restoring them. We look forward to supporting the event whole-heartedly.
FAQs on the UK River Summit
Who organises the River Summit?
The River Summit is organised by Claire Zambuni, the founder of Zambuni, a communications agency that focuses on outdoor adventure and the environment. She is also the founder of the River Festival, a similar event that takes place in France.
Claire Zambuni’s vision for the River Summit is to bring together river people from different walks of life and professions, enabling conversations and finding solutions for the issues that our waterways face. She invites the public to learn first-hand from some of the country’s most influential environmental speakers and experts, and to enjoy a variety of workshops, activities, and food by the river.
The River Summit 2024 is supported by several event partners including South East Rivers Trust, Orvis UK, Filson, Fly Fishing for Schools, The Wandle Piscators, The Wandle Industrial Museum, Delivita, and Lakedown Brewing Co.
Is there parking available?
Yes there is parking at Morden Hall. The car park is through the second green gate, and is a pay and display.
