Summer fun on, in and beside the river is so great for us: it keeps us fit and healthy, and and helps us connect with our friends, nature and ourselves. However, with river pollution constantly in the news, many are worried about whether it's a good idea to take to the water at all...

This event, run by environmental charity Thames21, will help the community of Wallingford understand river water quality, and what it means in practise for swimmers, other watersports users, wildlife and our four-legged friends.

The short talk will cover:

• Whether and when the river is clean enough to swim, paddle and row in,
• How to keep yourself safe and well when river swimming or doing other watersports,
• Where to find up-to-date information about river conditions,
• Where pollution in the river comes from, and how it affects wildlife,
• Simple steps everyone can take to help their local river.

The talk will be around 40 minutes, with time afterwards for a Q&A session.

About the speaker: Claire Robertson has lived in Oxfordshire for over six years, (three of those on a narrowboat), and is a keen wild swimmer and kayaker. She is the Oxford Rivers Project Officer at Thames21, and also has a PhD in freshwater ecology. With Thames21, she works to improve Oxfordshire's rivers through campaigning, better protections (like designated bathing waters) and habitat improvement, and she helps people better understand rivers through citizen science and open data.