Ask anybody from or who has visited Wales, and they will tell you two things: it always seems to be raining, and everyone loves a sing-song. The former is mostly accurate, and the latter is entirely true. This wet and mild climate, or oceanic climate (Cfb) if we want to be fancy and use the Koppen climate classification, combined with a varied landscape, means that rivers are everywhere in Wales. And you know any nation whose nickname is “The Land of Song” loves to sing – especially the long tradition of choirs.
So, UK Youth for Nature combined these two defining features into one exciting event in Cardiff Bay. “A Voice for Our Rivers / Llais i Afonydd”, supported by Delyth Jewell MS, was an opportunity to celebrate Wales’ rivers through music and art. Attended by several MSs, policymakers, and ENGO leaders, it also allowed a chance to explore potential collaborations and policy solutions for addressing agricultural pollution in our rivers.
The event kicked off in incredible fashion with a performance by young members of the Oasis One World Choir – a community arts project welcoming and sharing arts activities with those displaced from their birth countries. The performance included a mixture of songs written by the choir showing their hopes and fears for the future of rivers, plus some Welsh classics with a twist. Working with the UK Youth for Nature team, they sang “Afon Lan”, an adapted version of the Welsh belter “Sosban Fach”.
Event sponsor Delyth Jewell MS then delivered an empowering speech highlighting that protecting and restoring rivers in Wales is not only an environmental issue but a social and cultural one, too!
Our #NotSoFreshwater campaign focuses on addressing water pollution from agricultural sources. But we want to work with farmers to find sustainable and just solutions to move towards nature-friendly farming. Therefore, it was important that farmers’ voices were heard at the event. Jake Cohen, who works closely with farmers in Mid Wales, did a fantastic job of sharing the views of his network of farmers on how we can move forward together at this challenging time.
Finally, we heard from Grace Ingram, a young campaigner from Cardiff and a member of our team. In a speech full of fears and hopes, Grace mentioned how we learn about fantastic rivers from around the world, but rarely are we taught about the incredible rivers in Wales. So, whilst people might be aware of wildlife in the Amazon, sometimes they are less familiar with the nature on their doorstep.
This point provided an excellent segue to the fantastic exhibitions on display around the room, highlighting the rivers of Wales and the communities around them. UK Youth for Nature displayed key river species at risk in Wales including mayfly, otters, and salmon. The incredibly talented Kirsty Lloyd created the artwork.
The Wildlife Trusts of South and West Wales presented their work on the “Save Our Taff” campaign, bringing communities together along a river less than half a mile from the event and representing a cultural link for many along its course.
Finally, West Wales Rivers Trust presented work from their “Adopt a Tributary” volunteer programme and the “Llais yr Afon” project they are working on alongside Small World Theatre, spacetocreate, and Save the Teifi. The centrepiece of this exhibition was a map of the lower Teifi created by local postman Idris Mathias in the mid-20th Century and the modern interpretations created by schoolchildren as part of the project.
So, in true UK Youth for Nature style, it was a twist on your usual policy event, but at its heart, it was an opportunity to put forward ideas and solutions for the future of rivers in Wales. One attendee said they left feeling “incredibly energised” and ready to continue the push to restore Wales’ rivers. We at UK Youth for Nature are excited and ready to continue playing our role in bringing stakeholders together, standing up for nature, and finding just and sustainable solutions to ensure that Wales continues to be the land of healthy rivers and the land of song.
We thank Delyth Jewell MS and her incredible team for their support. We would also like to thank Oasis One World Choir, Wildlife Trusts of South and West Wales, and West Wales Rivers Trust for making this event a truly special occasion to celebrate rivers.
By Joe Wilkins.
