News – Wear Rivers Trust | North East Charity

Celebrating Success at the Durham County Council Environment Awards

We were honoured to attend the Durham County Council Environment Awards, an inspiring celebration of the individuals, volunteers and organisations working to protect and enhance local environments across the county.

We are immensely proud to share that our Education Team was named winner of the Schools and Colleges category for our Wear Warriors educational programme. Supported by multiple funding streams, Wear Warriors enables children to complete a four day award that combines local exploration with two engaging field visits. The programme broadens pupils’ understanding of the landscapes and communities around them while developing essential skills and confidence through structured outdoor learning.

Through hands on activities, children build teamwork and navigation skills, strengthen their resilience in new environments, and gain a deeper appreciation of their local surroundings. As they progress, pupils earn achievement badges, including recognition for mapwork skills, celebrating their accomplishments and encouraging curiosity and meaningful learning beyond the classroom.

This award recognises the dedication and commitment of our staff, who consistently go above and beyond to ensure young people across the catchment can access high quality environmental education and enriching outdoor experiences.

We are also delighted to announce that our valued volunteer, Martin Evans, received a Highly Commended Certificate of Recognition for his exceptional contribution. Martin’s commitment extends beyond his local area and across the wider catchment, and his continued support makes a lasting difference to the communities we serve.

The evening was a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through partnership, passion and shared commitment to safeguarding our environment. We extend our congratulations to all nominees and winners who are helping to create a greener and more sustainable future for County Durham.

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Bluespaces Project Launch: Lumley Park Burn

Major Restoration Effort Begins on Lumley Park Burn and Riverside

Wear Rivers Trust and Northumbrian Water Launch Lumley Park Burn & Riverside Restoration Project

Wear Rivers Trust announce Bluespaces project to revitalise 8.8 km of bluespace along Lumley Park Burn and the Riverside Peninsula of the River Wear near Chester-Le-Street.

The area currently faces challenges including elevated rates of riverbank erosion, invasive species such as Giant hogweed and Himalayan balsam, and worn footpaths that limit safe access. This transformative project will tackle these issues head-on through upgraded footpaths and drainage, green-engineering techniques to stabilise riverbanks, and targeted invasive species control to protect both biodiversity and public health.

Community involvement will sit at the heart of the initiative, with volunteer-led conservation, water-quality testing, and citizen-science activities helping to build long-term local stewardship.

“We’re excited to work together on meaningful improvements that will make Lumley Park Burn and the Riverside a safer, more resilient and more inspiring place for people and wildlife,” Wear Rivers Trust said. “This project will open up access, restore natural habitats, and support wellbeing for everyone who enjoys this much-loved stretch of the Wear.”

The result will be a healthier river corridor with thriving native species, improved year-round paths, and a strengthened community connection to the landscape, benefits that will be felt for generations.

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Bluespaces Project Launch: Deerness

Major Restoration Effort Begins on the River Deerness

Wear Rivers Trust and Northumbrian Water launch partnership to improve 10km of bluespaces along the River Deerness

This project encompasses the Deerness from Waterhouses downstream past the villages of Esh Winning and Ushaw Moor to its confluence with the Browney just north of Langley Moor.

Wear Rivers Trust will carry out a series of interventions along this stretch to enhance wildlife and biodiversity, improve water quality and augment access to recreational facilities.

At the heart of this Bluespaces project are the communities who live and work alongside the River Deerness. Wear Rivers Trust will collaborate with local groups, landowners and organisations who act as longstanding custodians of the Deerness, alongside the Trust’s volunteers, to deliver a range of practical restoration and engagement activities. These will include:

Monitoring and maintenance of fish passes to safeguard up and downstream migration, for all species
Tree planting and wetland creation to provide riparian shading and establish new wildlife habitats
Green engineering and riverbank repairs to protect footpaths, reduce sediment runoff and enhance biodiversity
Mapping and management of invasive non-native species to support the recovery of native flora and fauna
Citizen science opportunities, including Riverfly monitoring and ecological surveys, to improve understanding of the river environment
Installation of interpretation boards and waymarkers, including the creation of a new circular walking route

Together, these activities will help restore the River Deerness, strengthen local stewardship and ensure the river can be enjoyed for generations to come.

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Bluespaces Project Launch: Gaunless

Major Restoration Effort Begins on River Gaunless

Wear Rivers Trust and Northumbrian Water Launch River Gaunless Restoration Project

Bluespaces Project, funded by Northumbrian Water, is now underway to improve public access to, and enjoyment of, the River Wear and River Gaunless over the next three years.

Work focuses on three key sections where public footpaths run close to the rivers:

Butterknowle to St Helen’s Auckland
Broom Mill Farm to Fylands Bridge
King James’ School through Auckland Park to the confluence

The Gaunless catchment faces challenges such as livestock pressures, limited riparian buffers, pollution from agricultural runoff, and fly tipping. This project represents a collaborative, multi-faceted effort to enhance water quality, restore habitats, and strengthen community stewardship of one of the Wear’s most intensively farmed sub-catchments.

We will be carrying out farm engagement, green engineering, woodland creation, the creation of fish passes, and public-space improvements including nature trails and interpretation boards throughout this project to improve the riparian habitat. Volunteers will help assist with much of this work, as well as carrying out Riverfly monitoring, water quality testing, electrofishing, litter picks, and invasive species management.

Education is also a key focus of the project, with schools and young people actively involved in learning about the history, ecology, and cultural heritage of the Gaunless.

We will be delivering the Wear Warrior Award to 12 primary schools and working closely with King James Academy to carry out a number of activities including riparian woodland creation.

By combining practical river restoration with education and community involvement, the project will create lasting environmental benefits while inspiring the next generation to become stewards of the River Gaunless.

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Welcome Hannah Clow

We’re delighted to welcome Hannah to the team as our new Education Support Officer.

Hannah studied BSc Geography at Northumbria University, where she developed a strong interest in fluvial environments and green, nature-based solutions. Throughout her degree, Hannah spent significant time learning in the field, gaining hands-on experience that shaped both her knowledge and enthusiasm for environmental protection.

Having benefited from practical, outdoor learning herself, Hannah is now keen to return the favour by educating and inspiring younger generations. She is passionate about helping children and young people understand the importance of protecting their local environment, using the knowledge and experience she gained during her studies.

In her role as Education Support Officer, Hannah will support the delivery of educational activities that connect communities with their local rivers and landscapes, helping to build long-term understanding and care for the natural environment.

We’re excited to have Hannah on board and look forward to the positive impact she’ll make through her work with schools and communities.

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Welcome Cameron Curry

We’re delighted to welcome Cameron to the team as our new SuDS+ Support Officer.

A proud Northeast local and keen lover of the outdoors, Cameron is passionate about conserving and improving landscapes and waterways in ways that highlight their natural beauty while delivering real benefits for local communities.

Cameron joins us with an academic background in civil engineering and project management, studied at degree level. By combining his technical skills with his environmental interests, he developed a strong passion for Natural Flood Management (NFM). This led him to explore the topic further during his MSc, where his research focused on why natural flood management is not implemented as widely as it should be for a more sustainable future.

One of the key findings from Cameron’s research highlighted a lack of clear methods and data to demonstrate the wider social and environmental benefits of natural flood management. Motivated to help address this gap, Cameron joined the Wear Rivers Trust as a Monitoring Support Officer.

In his role supporting the SuDS+ project in Stanley, Cameron will focus on capturing and developing ways to record the community benefits of sustainable drainage systems, helping to build stronger evidence for their value beyond flood risk reduction alone.

We’re thrilled to have Cameron on board and look forward to the expertise, enthusiasm, and fresh perspective he brings to the team.

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Welcome to our new website!

A New Chapter for the Wear Rivers Trust

Welcome to the new Wear Rivers Trust website and thank you for being here.

The River Wear has shaped our landscape, our communities, and our history for generations. From its upland sources to where it meets the sea, it connects people, wildlife, and place. At Wear Rivers Trust, our aim is simple: to protect, restore, and celebrate the River Wear and its tributaries so they can continue to thrive long into the future.

This new website marks an important step forward for us. It reflects how much the Trust has grown, not just as an organisation, but as a community of volunteers, partners, landowners, schools, and supporters who care deeply about the health of our rivers.

Why our work matters

Rivers are living systems. When they are healthy, they support wildlife, help reduce flood risk, improve water quality, and contribute to our wellbeing. When they come under pressure from pollution, habitat loss, climate change, or physical modification, the effects are felt far beyond the riverbanks.

Across the Wear catchment, we see both challenges and reasons for hope. Some stretches of river need support, while others are beginning to recover thanks to collaborative action. Our role is to bring people together, use sound evidence and science, and deliver practical improvements that make a lasting difference.

What you’ll find here

This website is intended to be a place for everyone who cares about the River Wear. Here you can:

Learn more about our efforts and the difference they are making
Find opportunities to volunteer, partner with us, or support our work
Explore resources on river restoration, nature recovery, and catchment management
Keep up to date with news, events, and stories from across the catchment

We want this to be a space that informs, inspires, and encourages involvement.

Looking ahead

At Wear Rivers Trust, we are committed to working openly and collaboratively, always guided by what is best for the river and the people who depend on it.

Whether you are discovering us for the first time or have supported our work for years, thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we can help ensure the River Wear remains a living, resilient river for generations to come.

Warm regards,

Kirstie Hutchinson, CEO

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