Organisers of A Vigil for the River Lea say next Sunday’s event will be “part river ritual, part live comedy night, part community workshop, and part political pressure”
Clean water campaigners are set to hold a “vigil” for the River Lea on Sunday 25th October from 5pm to 7pm.
The event, which will take place at Leaside from 5pm, will see locals mingle with campaigners, performers and artists at a rally highlighting the river’s “poor ecological condition”.
Matthew Bennett, who is organising A Vigil for the River Lea with group Surfers Against Sewage says it will be “part river ritual, part live comedy night, part community workshop, and part political pressure”.
The night will see a special appearance from Fisherman Jon, the acclaimed persona of comedian Coral Bevan for a round of What’s On The End of My Rod? – a live fishing game about sewage, spin, water bills, and pollution.
Matthew told the Echo: “We’ll hear from people who know and care for the marshes, get a quick and useful diagnosis of what is affecting the Lea, unpick what Thames Water, regulators and government are responsible for, and use the moment to put proper pressure on the people who represent us.
“There will be a bar open. All ages are welcome. Bring a mate, bring a teenager who is furious about the state of things, bring someone who has never written to an MP in their life. You do not need to be an expert. You only need to care about where the water goes.
“At the end of the evening, we will take action together as part of Surfers Against Sewage’s Clean the Bill campaign. The government’s Clean Water Bill is a rare chance to change how water is run, monitored and held to account.
“It needs to do more than shuffle the furniture around regulators’ offices. It needs to protect people and nature, stop polluters getting away with it, and put communities ahead of shareholder returns.”
Find out more and get tickets here
The vigil will take place on Sunday 25th October from 5pm to 7pm at Leaside, 34 Spring Lane, Hackney E5 9HQ
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