Rave On for the Avon (2024) with Q&A

Do humans have the right to nature? In “Rave On For The Avon”, Director Charlotte Sawyer tells a story of a community of wild swimmers in Bristol (UK) affected by raw sewage pollution of the river Avon.

England is one of the only two countries in the world to have a fully privatised water and sewage disposal system, and with only 14% of English rivers in good ecological health, the mission to keep the rivers clean is not going well.

In a series of moving, exciting and thought-provoking scenes, the swimmers create a stunning, light-hearted yet fascinating tapestry, probing how activism starts from the grassroots, and carries a profound universal lesson for all of us. There’s a marriage to the river, drum’n’bass, a mermaid who tows an inflatable turd, and a whole lot of cheesecake in this poignant reflection on people’s innovative battles for the natural world they cherish.

“A joyful protest campaign”

The Guardian ★★★★

Joining us after the film for a meaningful discussion and Q&A are Louise Tonkin, Alison Ayling and Adam Ellis, who all played an instrumental role in the campaign to obtain Bathing Water Status in Fordingbridge’s own part of the Avon.

Louise Tonkin is a founder member of Fordingbridge Greener Living and initiated the Fordingbridge Avon Bathing movement with the purpose of obtaining Bathing Water Status from DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). Alison Ayling has a keen interest in conservation and has been volunteering locally for over 20 years with Forestry England as a Ranger and Conversation Task Leader.

Rounding out the trio is Adam Ellis who is the Managing Director of For the Love of Water and has worked in the environmental sector for 20 years. Adam’s specific scientific and data processing knowledge was vital to the group’s successful Bathing Water Status application.

We are pleased to be donating 20% of ticket sales from this screening to Fordingbridge Greener Living.