Come and celebrate a successful year with us, listen to talks about River Waveney Trust projects from 2023 and find out what's coming up in the year ahead.  We are also pleased to welcome guest speaker, Daniel Wade from Suffolk Wildlife Trust, presenting the landscape recovery project for the Waveney and Little Ouse Headwaters. Exciting times for our catchment, come along and find out more. FREE Event. Donations welcome (£5 suggested to cover costs) Friday 26th January 7 – 10pm Waveney Heritage Centre, Brockdish

Roger Deakin wrote the nature writing classics Waterlog, Wildwood and Notes From Walnut Tree Farm. But before he painstakingly restored his ancient farmhouse on the edge of Mellis common in Suffolk, he was also a maverick ad-man and seller of stripped-pine furniture. Later he became an inspirational teacher, filmmaker, music promoter and eco-warrior. Today, he lives on as the patron saint of wild swimming. Patrick brings alive this great romantic in an illustrated talk, and tells stories of Roger and his generation – arguably the most distinctive that ever lived. Patrick Barkham is an award-winning author and natural history writer for the Guardian. His books include The Butterfly Isles, Badgerlands, Islander and Wild Child. He is President of Norfolk Wildlife Trust and lives in Norfolk with his family. Tickets for this event are £10 and can be purchased from The Fisher Theatre website or Box Office www.fishertheatre.org 01986 897130

Explore Needham floodplain, Instead Dale, Plateau landforms and Waveney valley landforms with a local expert and geoconservationist Tim Holt-Wilson as your guide. Drawing on his vast knowledge of the historic landscape Tim will take you on a fascinating walk back through the past 450,000 years. Tickets £5 Booking via Pathmakers Website www.pathmakers.org.uk The walk begins and ends in the village of Needham, at the intersection of the High Road and Mill Lane (near NGR TM 22844 81600 / w3w modifies.puppy.static / postcode IP20 9LN) Walk distance - 4.6 km / 2.8 miles Time allocation – two hours. Only 20 places, booking through Pathmakers website

Guided Walk with John Arnett, author of Waveney Walks Join us for a circular walk beginning in the remarkable and historic village of Hoxne. This 3 mile walk features an idyllic, winding riverside descent down to the mill, with an optional extension across meadows to the weir, and returns by way of the delightful Brakey Wood. John has recently brought out a book featuring twenty five walks that will help you to explore the River Waveney.  Spend a morning with John as he guides you through this area of the river catchment sharing his knowledge and insights. The walk starts and finishes close to the Swan Inn, perfect if you want to stop for a drink or a bite to eat. Tickets: £5 available soon through Pathmakers.org.uk  ONLY 12 spaces John will have copies of his book available to purchase on the day, alternatively you can get hold of a copy from the places listed below. Parking: Spaces available by the village green Toilets: At The Hoxne Swan pub Dogs: Well behaved dogs on lead are permitted Due to the liklihood of it being muddy and uneven this walk is not suitable for buggys or wheelchairs  Waveney Walks available from: Diss: Corn Hall, Diss Museum, Octagon Craft Gallery, Angel Café Harleston: Robinsons Traditional Stationers, The Green Cupboard, Harleston Information Plus, Pura Vida Plants and Café, The Old Kings Head, Brockdish Bungay: The Chocolate Box, Bungay Library, Earsham Hall,  Beccles: Simply Cards, Beccles Books, Waveney Inn, Burgh St Peter Staithe Lowestoft: The Ferini Gallery, Lowestoft Station Shop, Lowestoft Museum

All spaces on our free River Wardens Canoe Safety Course are taken. Participants must have their kayak or canoe and be willing to help us take regular biodiversity and river health surveys along the River Waveney. Our River Wardens regularly check the river for various signs of stress and record their findings on our purpose-built database via their mobile phones. Wardens report river obstructions, such as fallen trees, excessive vegetation growth, and wildlife sightings. We work with landowners to maintain paddler access and the benefits of in-channel wood.  We help wardens understand what makes a healthy river and how to record findings systematically. River Wardens help us plan future projects and monitor changes year after year. Select your free ticket to reserve a place on the course and help protect the river! Enquiries to katieutting@riverwaveneytrust.org

Presented by the Waveney Bird Club & River Waveney Trust Steve Piotrowski (Author of The Birds of Suffolk) alongside renown Wildlife Photographer Harry Read. Invite you to join them on a journey of exploration from our otters below in the River Waveney, to our amazing Marsh Harriers at the highest points in our skies; whilst touching on the beauty of the nature and species that live in-between – Namely Dragonflies, Kingfishers and our beautiful Barn Owls. Also hosting will be Martha Meek Director of the River Waveney Trust who will be happy to tell you of the progress the charity is making on this local jewel of a river and to answer any questions you may have - “A not to be missed event”. Booking via Fisher Theatre Website  £7.50 + booking fee All profits to WBC and RWT

Willow Weaving Workshop - Round Basket Come and meet Maxine Tricker, talented willow weaver and wildlife gardener. She will teach you how to weave a round basket - beginners and improvers all welcome, no previous experience needed.  With only 8 spaces you will get plenty of support to pick up new skills and make something beautiful to take home. Round Basket:  - base approx. 22cm diameter - straight or angled sides - with or without handle It's a full day workshop from 10.30am - 4.30pm - we will break for about an hour for lunch, lunch is not included so please bring a pack lunch. Tea, coffe, biscuits and all basket making materials will be provided. Book quickly to avoid disappointment. Tickets £56.50 includes booking fee

Britain's Hidden Fishes : Film by Jack Perks Underwater photographer and film maker Jack Perks will be sharing his film, Britain’s Hidden Fishes. Exploring marine waters, lakes, rivers, and chalk streams, he shines a light on what goes on beneath the surface in a secretive world hidden from most. This is the first time Britain’s fish have been showcased in this way, from little tiddlers to great leviathans, Jack reveals their secretive world, capturing behaviours never filmed before. Jack has worked for dozens of wildlife and angling tv shows, including Springwatch, Wild Isles, The One Show, Mr Crabtree Goes Fishing, The Great British Year, and Countryfile. Approx 1.5hrs including Q&A with Jack Tickets: £8 Available through Beccles Public Hall Box Office www.becclespublichall.co.uk Box Office 01502 770060 (open 10am - 3pm)

Come celebrate the river Sunday 16th of July and support our application for bathing water status on the Waveney, at Falcon Meadow in Bungay How clean is the river? Mingle with our volunteers, expert microbiologists, ecologists, entertainers and representatives of the water industry to find out more! What's on: 11 am - 11. 45 am kids' mad science show -  Join the Mad Scientists and witness their ‘Keep It Clear’ Show in collaboration with Anglian Water. Brave volunteers can help a toilet roll fly, be challenged to a tornado toilet race, demonstrate eye-boggling erupting pipes, and sit within a super cool dry ice cloud! Suitable for children ages 4-11 12:00 – 12:45 pm Midday for 'Bungay's Big Splash' show your support and jump right in! 12.30 pm-2.15 pm Bungay's own folk duo  'Los Perrosflautus'  2.30 -4.30 pm Steve Arlene Trio  to include some twinkly piano by Will Fergusson as we wind down  Coffee - Ice cream - Bar 

LOST BEASTS OF NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK Elephants at Ipswich, rhinos at Cromer and hippopotami in the Waveney valley... Their fossil bones and teeth are Ice Age museum curiosities, though luckily we can see their living descendants today. Join us on safari exploring the lost, native wildlife of East Anglia over the past three million years, with special reference to fossil sites in the Waveney valley area. Some local specimens will be on display for you to take a closer look at. A talk by Tim Holt-Wilson, geoconservationist, author of books on the geology of Norfolk and Suffolk and former curator of Diss Museum. Tim's website: www.futureheritage.wordpress.com Tickets: £5 (£4 RWT members) Pay on the door   The new Community Centre is situated on Old Grammar Lane, between the medical centre and the fire station, adjacent to the playing field and skate park.

Freya is still searching. For four years, she’s been looking for a way to fill the empty space her brother’s death left behind. Ready for another distraction, Freya decides to swim every tidal pool in Britain in a year with her friend Miri. The adventure takes them from a pool hidden in the cliffs of fishing-village Polperro to the quarry lagoon of Abereiddi via Trinkie Wick where locals meet each year to give the pool wall a fresh lick of paint. As Freya travels further from London, she finds herself closer to memories of her brother. With every swim, and every stranger they meet in the water, the challenge becomes more than just a way to explore the coast, but a journey of self-discovery. The Tidal Year is a true story about the healing power of wild swimming and the space it creates for reflection, rewilding, and hope. An exploration of grief in the modern age, it’s also a tale of loss, love, female rage and sisterhood. Freya’s talk is supported by River Waveney Trust, it is part of a wider festival : First Light Festival, which takes place over the weekend closest to the summer soltice.  It's held at the most easterly point in England - Lowestoft. FREE event Visit their website to see the full programme of events First Light Festival https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75398966-the-tidal-year

Hear from the River Waveney Trusts Director Martha Meek on the history of the River Waveney, issues facing the river, plus current and future projects. £5 to book call 07415401577 or pay on door (talk organised through Palgrave Community Centre)

This talk will explore the history of the landscape of the Waveney Valley area, explain its distinctive features, and examine how its history can be 'read' both on the map and in the field. Tom Williamson, Professor of Landscape History in the School of History at the UEA, is a landscape historian with extensive research interests in subjects related to landscape history, agricultural history, and the history of landscape design.  Ticket prices RWT members £4 non-members £5 pay on the door

The Locks Inn (accessible by canoe) is the perfect location to host Dr Amy-Jane Beer for an immersive exploration of our personal and ecological place in nature based on her critically acclaimed book The Flow: rivers, water and wilderness. Please travel by canoe, foot, cycle or car share wherever possible. Parking is limited! The bar will be open; please arrive early to buy drinks for a prompt 7.30 pm start. The pub kitchen is open for food service from 5:30 pm to 8 pm Menus available at   https://www.thelocksinn.com/ Suggested Donation: £5 per person or £4 for River Waveney Trust Members  Standing tickets can be purchased on the door. All seating has been taken, and reservations are no longer possible.    

Join us to pick litter around Shotford Bridge We've got plenty of litter pickers, bags, gloves and waders if necessary so no extra equipment needed. The River Waveney Trust is taking part in an EU project looking at how plastic finds its way into rivers and eventually out into oceans. Help us to collect litter near the River Waveney, identify litter hotspots and look at ways how we can tackle the plastic pollution problem locallly, whilst gathering data that contributes to a better understanding of the problem globally.Plastic in aquatic and marine environments causes harm to wildlife through entanglement and is mistaken for food which leads to poor health and premature death for all manner of fish, birds, mammals and invertebrates. Everyone welcome! We meet at 9am at Shotford Bridge, Low Road, Harleston IP20 9QT You can just turn up on the day, but selecting a FREE ticket here lets me know how many to expect. See you there Ange