This event will present the findings of the Cherwell & Ray Water Quality Report 2024, with data on local rivers and streams provided by volunteer "citizen scientists" across the catchment from the past 18 months. This event is hosted by the Cherwell & Ray catchment partnership.

Major findings from the report will be highlighted, including:

• Overall proportions of poor, moderate and good water quality sites;
• The cleanest and most polluted sites from across the catchment;
• Likely sources of nutrient pollution;
• Geographical and seasonal variation;
• What can citizen science tell us above and beyond statutory data?
• From data to action: areas for focus and some proposed solutions.

Representatives from Thames Water and the Environment Agency have been invited, along with political representatives, and all with a stake in our catchment are welcome, weather you live, work or play here.

After the presentation, there will be a local action workshop, where participants will break into groups based on a waterbody or area of focus, and mindmap ideas, potential strategies and solutions. There will also be time for networking and questions. Drinks and light refreshments provided.

Getting here

Islip Village Hall is around 10 miles outside of Oxford, near the confluence of the Cherwell & Ray rivers.

There is ample parking at the venue. Alternatively, trains run from Oxford to Islip roughly hourly, and the H5 bus runs between Oxford, Islip and Bicester.

Approximate timings:

19:00 - Doors open

19.10 - Presentation: Cherwell & Ray Water Quality Report 2024, Q&A

19.50 - Break & networking

20:00 - Local action workshop

20:30 - Feedback from workshop

20:45 - Networking & refreshments

21:00 - Close

Background information

The River Cherwell is a major tributary of the Thames, flowing over 40 miles from it source in Northamptonshire to the confluence in Oxford. It and its main tributary, the River Ray, along with at least 26 other brooks, streams and rivers, drain a catchment area of 364 square miles, including the towns of Banbury and Bicester and the Otmoor basin.

Environment Agency assessments find that only one stream in the entire Cherwell & Ray catchment is in good ecological health. Like other areas in the Thames basin, poor water quality is a major barrier to good river health, with the water industry the largest polluter, followed by agriculture.

Over the last year, over 50 volunteer "citizen scientists" have taken 500+ monthly water quality samples across the catchment, measuring phosphate, nitrate and turbidity using the Freshwater Watch method.