THE River Gavenny Project was successfully relaunched with a community litter pick event in Swan Meadows, Abergavenny, on Friday (November 15).

Organised in partnership with Keep Wales Tidy and Groundwork Wales' Healthy Rivers team, the event saw enthusiastic participation from local community members.

A Monmouthshire Council spokesperson said: “The litter pick was part of the broader initiative to restore biodiversity in the River Gavenny, increase community engagement, and raise public awareness of its benefits. 

“Participants worked together to clean up the river area, contributing to the project's goals of enhancing the river and its adjacent habitats.

“The River Gavenny Project aims to create a community engagement plan for the river restoration phases, providing volunteer opportunities, learning, and training opportunities. 

“The project highlights the importance of the River Gavenny for biodiversity, climate change adaptation, and community wellbeing.

“The river is a great place to live, work, and visit, offering opportunities for nature walks and the chance to spot stunning wildlife such as kingfishers and rare dipper birds.”

Monmouthshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Environment, Cllr Catrin Maby (Welsh Labour, Monmouth Drybridge) said: "It's fantastic to see the relaunch of the River Gavenny Project.

“Thank you to everyone who attended the litter pick. We can all play a positive part in impacting nature recovery, however small, and I look forward to seeing how this project develops."

The River Usk tributary hit the headlines in 2022 when a housebuilding company was ordered to pay £433,331 after failing to implement appropriate measures to prevent multiple pollution incidents.

A total of seven pollution offences, caused by illegal water discharge activities occurred at the Willow Court development site in Abergavenny in 2019, followed by another in February 2021. 

Inspections carried out by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) revealed that the pollutant on each occasion was caused by water run-off from the site, which had been contaminated with silt.

For more information about the River Gavenny Project and future events, please email [email protected]