On a sunny Sunday in May around 300 people gathered to celebrate the River Lavant and the 30th anniversary of its annual duck race.
The Western Sussex Rivers Trust (WSRT) led people on an invertebrate identification adventure in water trays wriggling and jiggling with critters fished out of the nearby river.
Kids and adults alike enjoyed identifying the different river life, spotting the differences between them - like which one was breathing through its “bottom” - and separating them into different species classes.
Armed with wooden trees, rocks and wildlife fact boxes, the team helped families create model river scenes. Adding wildlife cutouts there were some great discussions around what a riverscape is and what makes one healthy, or not so healthy. This activity was a great hit and a useful visual aid to help learn about how the surrounding landscape and our actions as humans, can all affect the health of our local rivers.
With soil being a hot topic and vital to the health of any riverscape, the WSRT team helped visitors understand what makes soil healthy. A popular talking point was the “bury your undies” demo, which showcased how a healthy soil has microbes in it - the healthier the soil the more microbes are contained within it and so the undies (cloth) will degrade faster. Another great visual which many people were able to clearly understand and learn from.
Local resident, John Slipper, thoroughly enjoyed the day and noticed how far people had travelled to support the local charities and river:
“A fun day for all ages, funding local charities. Visitors came from far and wide – Midhurst, Pagham and Southborne to name a few - and learned about our precious chalk stream.”
Among the hands-on activities, the event provided a great opportunity for people to learn more about the many volunteering opportunities at the WSRT such as the River Guardians.
Kate Whitton, Chalk Stream Resilience Officer for the Western Sussex Rivers Trust, explains:
“It was really inspiring to see so many interested people at River Fest. The Lavant is a chalk stream and a winterbourne so it is extra special and we want the river to be enjoyed for many generations to come and provide a fantastic home for wildlife. It’s great to see the river being an integral part of village life and with the help and support of communities, and the work of our River Guardians, we will be able to improve the health and resilience of the Lavant and protect it for future years.”
At 2pm an eager crowd gathered to mark the 30th anniversary of the annual Lavant duck race. Due to low water levels, the ducks took their time arriving at the finish line at Marsh Lane, however when they did finally get there they were greeted by lots of fans cheering them on.
Jenny Quest was one of the lucky “waders” in charge of marshalling the ducks on their journey:
“One mile wading down a chalk stream, taking, on this occasion, three hours! Such bliss. Who could wish for a more wonderful day. Ranunculus, so much more than in previous years, floating and swerving as I pass by. Clusters of hemlock, as sentinels along the river bank. And the paradox, hemlock swaddling new life, protecting a nest full of eggs from any dangers nearby. A precious stream? Certainly!”
Alongside the WSRT, the South Downs National Park Authority had a stand with a rain garden, the Final Straw Foundation were present talking about plastics and source to sea, while Jane Reeve had a lot of attention with her life sized taxidermy mammals including an otter and beaver!
Lavant Primary School did a great job keeping everyone fed and watered with refreshments.
Lavant Parish Councillor, Chris Turner outlined how successful the day was:
“I think it was a great day and in addition to the duck race, it really showcased the river Lavant to the wider public. From the organisations which were there, hopefully people gained a better impression of the importance of our local river which is pretty much on our doorstep!”
Over £2000 was raised to support five local charities - Langstone Sailability, Lavant Churches, Chichester Harbour Rotary, Lavant Primary School and St Anthonys school.
Generous funding from Chichester District Council enables the work of our Chalk Stream Officer roles, who were vital to the delivery of this wonderful event. Without this funding, none of this work or lots more would be possible, so a big thank-you goes to the Council and their teams.
A huge thank you also to everyone who helped make the event such a success, the visitors, stall holders, organisers, sponsors and especially the river wildlife who hopefully helped to inspire river-lovers young and old.