In 2008 we formed as a "Rivers Association" with the objective aim on tackling whole catchment wide issues and becoming a Trust that could make things happen within our whole catchment.

We're now firmly established and found that whilst being local in the delivery of our projects very often they would have regional, national and even world importance and we need to keep this impetus up.

We need to be dynamic and tackle issues in the most fitting way so we engaged the expertise within our board to meet these challenges.

We recognising the need for education, within the national curriculum, in both junior and senior schools to teach the next generations that our River is not the polluted dumping ground that Victorians left as a legacy.

We acknowledged that passage along our River corridor is THE biggest issue next to pointsource pollution. This includes our own (human) rights of usage and opening these "bottlenecks" will vastly improve our environment and biodiversity.

We have started to look at habitat, is destruction, loss, creation and rectification. Quickly realising its complexity when coupled with the diverse hydrology and morphology of the entire catchment and species specific needs.

We also recognise that diffuse pollutions, be they urban or agricultural, have a massive impact on our River too. As do our invasive species. But rather than the Trust is judge, jury and executioner in these issues we can offer a CONFIDENTIAL and FREE consultancy with our own qualified staff in these matters. And with any landowner that has connectivity to the River a solution can sometimes be funded.

We need the research and development depth to engage our strategy and priority plans and to monitor the current health of our River
We will work with, coordinate and cooperate on many levels with Government Organisations like DEFRA, Environment Agency, British Waterways, Natural England, Yorkshire Forward and Yorkshire and Humber Regional Government. Local Authorities like Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. Large private companies like Yorkshire Water, Syngenta, SITA and FMG. Other NGO’s like Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, National Farmers Union, Angling Clubs, Canoe and Boating Clubs and Leeds University.

We are also looking to work with YOU

We need eyes, ears, hands and of course money is most welcome in the form of donations or becoming a Trust member.

You are so important to us in the role of research and development as we need eyes and ears. Our entire catchement area is 116,300 hectares.

Our catchment starts near the Lancashire border between Todmorden and Bacup and finishes about 80miles downstream at Chapel Haddersley (known as Aire and Calder here) where the tidal lock separates us from the River Ouse, then finally Humber, as it's known from hereon.

Add in the major tributaries like the Colne, Holme, Hebble, Ryburn and Hebden plus all the minor rivers and associated connected waterways. You can see we have a large scale catchment where eyes and ears are needed in all locations.

We need to map invasive species and monitor existing known sites. So reports of Floating Pennywort, for example, or Chinese Mitten Crab are essential. Himalayan Balsam and Mink too as we stand a good chance of eradicating these species from the system or at least stopping their spread.

We'd like reports of all of our flora and fauna. Especially Vole, Bat, Otter, Reed Warbler, Eel, Salmon and Lamprey as these are some of our species of great importance.

Most of all.....POLUTION! We have a network set up to notify and interested parties of pollution travelling down our waterways which was very effective during the 2000gallon diesel pollution in 2009