Six Rivers Trusts in England have each been awarded £10,000 from the Greggs Foundation, through the Community Challenge Fund, managed by The Rivers Trust.

The Community Challenge Fund was established by The Rivers Trust and the Greggs Foundation, in 2016, to support the delivery of education and community based environmental projects based in and around rivers and has successfully secured another year of funding for 2017/18.

Headline outputs from the Community Challenge Fund in 2016-17 include; Rivers Trusts working deep in the heart of their communities with over 2,000 school children, teaching them about their local river environment; Training over 500 local people in citizen science; Delivering numerous Riverfly training sessions and; Cleaning litter from more than 5 miles of river corridor.

This year's funding has been awarded to Wear Rivers Trust, Bristol Avon Rivers Trust, South East Rivers Trust, Lune Rivers Trust, Tees Rivers Trust and Thames21, who will all be delivering engaging community projects that work to educate and connect people to their local river environment.

Rob Collins from The Rivers Trust said:

“We are so pleased to be working with the Greggs Foundation for another year; last year the Trusts collectively managed to engage with over two thousand people in their local communities, connecting them to their river and improving over five miles of river corridor, through litter picks, vegetation management and by tackling invasive non-native species. “Connecting people to their local environment is so important, we really see the benefits not only from a health and wellbeing perspective but also in terms of education and the establishment of pride in and a sense of ownership of, their local environment. If people understand and connect with their local river environment, they are much more likely to take care of it for future generations.”

Tracy Lynch from the Greggs Foundation said:

“After a successful partnership with The Rivers Trust last year, we are delighted to be working with them again to deliver the Community Challenge Fund. “This year’s projects are really innovative, from eels in the classroom, to training young people with conservation skills to help them find employment. It is really great that Rivers Trusts can work deep in the heart of the community to educate the next generation to look after their environment, something we really love supporting.”

The Community Challenge Fund projects will be taking place through much of 2018, ending in late September. To follow their progressclick here to find out moreor watch the roundup video of the 2016/17 funding.