May News

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Join the Riverlution (Volunteering)

Tuesday, 15th May 2012

At 10am to 1pm on Saturday 26th May we will be having the first Floodwise funded volunteer day, and encourage anyone who wants to help out to come and join us in the Kelham Island area.

Date: 26th May 2012.

Time: 10am to 1pm

Activity: Removing woody and other debris/litter from the banks. We will also be removing buddleia growing out of the riverside wall and pulling any Himalayan Balsam growing on the banks/shoal to help encourage the establishment of native flora. If we have enough hands we may also be able to carry out some habitat management work on the Kelham Island goyt and goyt tail.

Where: On the riverside area from Corporation Street bridge at The Riverside pub upstream to Kelham Riverside.

Meet: Entrance to the Upper Don Walk, Corporation Street, opposite The Riverside pub and by the side of Tesco. S3 8RA.

Bring: Old clothes you don't mind getting dirty. If you have sturdy boots / wellies / waders please bring them. We will provide safety gear, tools, training on the day and hot drinks and biscuits.

Contact: If you have any questions, please call on 0114 263 6420 and ask for Hellen Hornby, or e-mail hellen.hornby@the-rsc.co.uk

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Richard Benyon MP Visits RSC Project in Doncaster

Monday, 14th May 2012

Richard Benyon MP, Minister for Natural Environment and Fisheries, visited the RSC delivering a project in Doncaster to improve a popular fishing spot last week.

The visit was arranged to highlight the new Love Your River campaign launched by Defra, and was hosted by the RSC alongside campaign partners the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Don Catchment Rivers Trust and British Waterways. Also in attendance were representatives from Groundwork Dearne Valley and Doncaster and District Angling Association, alongside local volunteers and the RSC contract team.

Activities on the day included the conclusion of an extensive litter clearance, vegetation management and the creation of a recycled plastic fishing peg as well as new steps. The Minister stayed for about an hour chatting to partners and volunteers and gamely did his bit with a spot of litter picking!

It was an excellent opportunity to explain the RSC model and Riverlution to the Minister and his team who seemed to share our enthusiasm and passion. Kyle, one of the Apprentice River Stewards, told the Minister about his experience working with the RSC and studying for an NVQ in habitat management. Chris Firth from the Don Catchment Rivers Trust explained the rich history of this part of the river system, and Ian Hurst explained the important of the site for anglers whilst one of his members nicely timed the catching of a couple of fish!

 Find more about the visit and the campaign at Defra's Love Your River website

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4th Anniversary of the Sheffield Floods

Tuesday, 10th May 2011

To mark the 4th anniversary of the 2007 floods, this June, the RSC will be working with Groundwork Sheffield to run three Flood Awareness Days within high flood risk communities.

The events are part of Sheffield Flood Resilience Network, a project delivered in partnership with the Environment Agency, which aims to raise awareness of flood preparedness and how riverside maintenance can reduce the risk of flooding. We’ll be running practical conservation sessions for local volunteers at Kelham Island, Sharrow Vale and Winn Gardens.

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