Children living near a popular beauty spot have expressed concern that the River Stour is "dying" after conducting water quality sampling. Pupils from Dedham Church of England Primary School in Essex collaborated with a local climate action charity to investigate pollution in a section of the river.
Year Four teacher Emily Keeley stated that the children were "really quite disheartened to find it was so polluted" but remain committed to raising awareness. "If we don't look after our world, there's no planet B and if we don't fix it, then there will not be the river and no animals in here," said nine-year-old Florence. Another student, Noah, also nine, added, "If no one does anything about it, then the river will just go and no one will be able to go in," emphasizing that the river would cease to be a nationally-important landscape.
The students plan to write to Bernard Jenkin, the Conservative Member of Parliament for the area, requesting the installation of a storm drain on the nearby A12. They believe this measure would help prevent chemicals from draining into the river.
Dedham, a village immortalized by the painter John Constable, is situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the Essex-Suffolk border. Recent reports indicate an increase in issues affecting the area, including litter and parking problems. The River Stour is a popular location for swimmers, paddleboarders, and tourists.