The River Gavenny Project was successfully relaunched with a community litter pick event in Swan Meadows, Abergavenny, on Friday, 15 November 2024. 

The event, organised in partnership with Keep Wales Tidy and Groundwork Wales’ Healthy Rivers team, saw enthusiastic participation from local community members.

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, 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 art in impacting nature recovery, however small, and I look forward to seeing how this project develops.”

For more information about the River Gavenny Project and future events, please email localnature@monmouthshire.gov.uk.

The project is being delivered by the Green Infrastructure Team in Monlife, supported by the Gwent Green Grid via the Shared Prosperity Fund and the Monmouthshire Local Nature Partnership.