Let the River Roar!

The environment

The project helped strengthen environmental protection efforts for the River Severn by increasing awareness, building public support, and advancing practical pathways for long-term ecological protection. Funding enabled environmental barrister Monica Feria-Tinta to prepare a legal briefing paper outlining the case for the Severn Estuary and the Severn Bore to seek UNESCO Natural World Heritage status. This has helped bring wider attention to the ecological importance of the Bore and the wider river system, including its role in supporting migratory fish, estuarine habitats, and biodiversity. The proposal has gained support from councillors, MPs, and community groups along the Severn, while public events and media engagement increased awareness of the environmental challenges facing the river, including pollution, habitat degradation, and climate change impacts.

Arts, culture & heritage

The project helped celebrate and strengthen the cultural heritage of the River Severn by bringing communities together through arts, storytelling, ceremony, and creative participation. On World Rivers Day, Sacred Severn held a celebratory gathering that included artists, storytellers, Morris dancers, and a riverside ceremony honouring the cultural and spiritual significance of the Severn Bore. A large processional Severn Serpent, created as a shared community artwork, led the procession and became a powerful symbol of connection to the river. At the public event in November, participants took part in a “Council of All Beings”, speaking on behalf of the flora and fauna of the Severn and sharing songs and reflections that deepened awareness of the river as a living presence. These activities helped preserve local traditions, encourage intergenerational participation, and create new cultural expressions rooted in care for the river and the wider Severn Vale heritage.

Activity, health and leisure

The project promoted health, wellbeing, and active community participation by encouraging people to engage directly with the River Severn through nature-based activities and shared cultural experiences. Sacred Severn organised riverside gatherings, walks, ceremonies, and public events that brought people outdoors and created opportunities for reflection, creativity, and connection with nature. Events attracted a wide range of participants, including local residents, families, artists, river enthusiasts, and members of the surfing community connected to the Severn Bore. Activities such as the World Rivers Day procession and riverside ceremony encouraged movement, social connection, and a stronger sense of belonging and stewardship for the river environment. By creating inclusive spaces where people could gather, walk, sing, share stories, and celebrate the river together, the project supported both mental wellbeing and community cohesion while strengthening appreciation for the Severn as a place of recreation, heritage, and ecological importance.