River School and Blue Influencer Programme
What is it?
The River School and Blue Influencer Programme is a youth engagement, education and environmental action initiative focused on empowering young people aged 11–18 to improve river health, water management and nature recovery across Cheshire catchments.
Building on successful work delivered in Greater Manchester, the programme will work with schools, colleges, youth organisations and community groups to deliver practical, place-based environmental projects that connect young people with rivers, estuaries and blue-green infrastructure.
Projects will combine education, practical action and skills development, enabling young people to participate directly in activities such as habitat restoration, rain garden creation, sustainable drainage interventions, river stewardship and green skills training.
The programme will include a dedicated Blue Influencer coordination role alongside funding for local projects and community-led environmental action.
Why is this needed? / Why are we doing this?
Young people are increasingly aware of environmental challenges but often lack opportunities, resources and support to take meaningful action within their local communities.
At the same time, rivers and estuaries across Cheshire face growing pressure from pollution, climate change and habitat degradation, creating a need for stronger public awareness, stewardship and future environmental leadership.
The programme has been developed to create long-term behavioural change by connecting young people directly with nature recovery and water resilience projects in their local catchments.
The initiative also supports future green skills development and strengthens pathways into environmental careers and community leadership.
What is it going to deliver?
The programme will deliver:
- Youth-led river and estuary improvement projects
- Engagement with schools, colleges, youth organisations and community groups
- Education and awareness activity focused on healthy rivers and water management
- Practical habitat restoration and nature recovery projects
- Sustainable drainage and rain garden interventions
- Green skills development and environmental training
- Increased participation in conservation and stewardship
- Improved understanding of river catchments and water resilience
- Greater youth leadership in environmental action
- Long-term community stewardship of blue-green infrastructure
The programme will operate across the Weaver-Gowy, Bollin to Mersey and Dee catchments.
Estimated Cost:
£500,000
Project Location:
Weaver-Gowy catchment, Bollin to Mersey catchment, Dee catchment.
Multi-catchment youth engagement and river stewardship programme across Cheshire.
Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East, Warrington.
3 Years.
Lead Partner:
Networks for Nature Partnership, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Canal & River Trust.
Why Invest Now?
- Growing demand for environmental education and green skills
- Opportunity to build future environmental leadership
- Strong alignment with LNRS, water resilience and youth engagement priorities
- Scalable catchment-wide model with proven foundations
- Supports long-term stewardship of blue-green infrastructure
- Creates visible social and environmental value across Cheshire catchments
Impact and Returns:
Environmental Returns
- Improved awareness and stewardship of rivers and estuaries
- Increased community-led habitat and water management interventions
- Support for healthier watercourses and estuaries
- Enhanced blue-green infrastructure connectivity
Social & Educational Returns
- Direct engagement with young people aged 11–18
- Increased connection between people and nature
- Development of future environmental leadership and green skills
- Greater awareness of climate resilience and water management
- Increased participation in local environmental action
Strategic Returns
- Long-term behavioural and cultural change around water stewardship
- Strong alignment with LNRS and environmental education priorities
- Scalable model for youth-led catchment engagement
- Support for future environmental workforce development
LNRS Priorities and Actions / LNP Goals:
This project aligns with the following Cheshire Local Nature Partnership goals:
Goal Two
Increase connection between people and nature including raising awareness of nature.
WA1
Healthier and resilient watercourses with more abundant native wildlife
WA2
The whole river catchment, from source to sea, functions as naturally as possible
WA3
Our estuaries are restored for nature and safeguarded by local communities
U1
Green and blue wildlife corridors between urban and rural Cheshire and Warrington
NBS1
Nature, people and economy thriving through more, bigger, better and more joined up Green and Blue Infrastructure
GET INVOLVED
Contact the Cheshire Nature Local Partnership
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