Local artists from the Save the Wye group are exhibiting their powerful work at Forest of Dean District Council’s Coleford offices, helping to raise awareness about the state of the River Wye. The Council is proud to host the exhibition, recognising that its message strongly supports the Council’s ongoing efforts to protect local waterways and promote environmental responsibility.

River Water Quality Champion at Forest of Dean District Council, Cllr Andrew McDermid says:

“The new exhibition produced by members of Save the Wye looks incredible and really helps to spread the message about the deterioration of our waterways in the Forest of Dean.

“Having received unanimous backing from Councillors last year on the Rivers and Oceans Motion, we knew that it was imperative to highlight this cause and to do everything we can to help stop this catastrophic problem from getting even worse.

“I would like to thank the artists themselves and the officers at the Council who have been involved in this project so far, and hope that residents will appreciate both the beautiful artwork and the messaging behind it.

“A problem of this scale cannot be tackled alone. We want everyone to be able to enjoy our rivers long into the future and working together to lobby government we can do our part in making that a reality.”

In his role as River Water Quality Champion, Cllr Andrew McDermid is part of The Water Improvement Group at Forest of Dean District Council. The group are working together with citizen and voluntary groups, and other local authorities to exert concerted pressure on government. The group will also seek to identify and measure pollution sources, monitor and publish the data to residents.

One of the key aims of the Water Improvement Group is to involve the public, especially young people, in caring for the district’s waterways. The new artwork exhibited at the Council offices in Coleford provides an inviting and interactive way for people to find out more and to get involved.

There are a series of sixteen glass panels displayed at the front of the office building which tell the story of a journey down the Wye and the build-up of pollution on its way to the sea. There is also a large information area with further details on the river itself and the effect that pollution has on the environment and wildlife that inhabit it.

Local artist and member of Save the Wye, Mollie Meager said:

“Exhibiting our artwork in the Forest of Dean District Council offices is a fantastic chance to highlight the work that must be done to help save the River Wye.

“We hope that all residents and visitors will take the opportunity to explore the artwork further and to put their voice behind the campaign. The river should be something that is enjoyed by all. Together we can make the change.”

The exhibition will be on display at the Forest of Dean District Council offices until 30 June 2025 during office hours.

To find out more about the Rivers and Ocean Motion that was voted on by Full Council, please click here: https://meetings.fdean.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=120&MId=4453&Ver=4

Residents who are interested in finding out how they can assist with the work being done to protect the River Wye can click on the following link to find out about Save the Wye: https://savethewye.org/