Severnside Community Rail Partnership (CRP) has offered a new experience for families this summer, combining integrated sustainable transport, environmental conservation, local history and creative art.
Teaming up with Sustainable Hive CIC, Great Western Railway, Bristol Ferries and Crimestoppers, the partnership created ‘Fishing for Change’, a project giving families a unique opportunity to bond, learn, and contribute to creating a cleaner environment.
The adventure starts with families arriving at their local railway station. Accompanied by a guide, they learn how to safely navigate part of Bristol’s public transport system, travelling to Bristol Temple Meads before taking the short walk to catch the Bristol Ferry at Temple Quarter. Next stop is to board the SeaCycler, one of only six specially-designed boats in the world used for fishing litter out of the water.
Equipped with nets and protective gear, families work together to remove plastic waste and other debris, learning about the impact of litter on marine life and the importance of keeping waterways clean. The collected litter isn’t then just discarded; it’s weighed, sorted, and some of the items become material for creating fish-inspired artwork.
The process highlights the potential for repurposing waste and the importance of recycling, inspiring participants to think differently about the materials they encounter in everyday life.
Trips have been running throughout the summer holidays and are offered free of charge thanks to funding support from Great Western Railway’s Customers and Communities Improvement Fund and the Community Rail Development Fund.
Heather Cullimore, Severnside CRP manager, said: “We are delighted to be part of the Fishing for Change project and hope families taking part will continue to choose to travel by train and other forms of sustainable, healthy transport after this experience.
“The summer holiday is a long stretch to keep children occupied, and often day trips become very expensive, but thanks to funding from GWR and Community Rail Network this activity is offered free of charge, which is a real bonus to those lucky enough to take part.”
Jenni Jones, community rail support officer at Community Rail Network, said: “We are proud to have been able to support this exciting and innovative project through the Community Rail Development Fund.
“Fishing for Change is not only a great activity for families to get involved in, but it also benefits the marine environment and the people of Bristol on a wider scale. This perfectly encapsulates the values of the community rail movement: bringing communities together and promoting sustainable and healthy travel. Congratulations to everyone involved.”
Alex Hills, GWR’s Flagship Station Manager for the Bristol area, said: “The Customer and Community Improvement Fund is a fantastic opportunity for us to invest in projects that really make a difference to our customers and communities at a local level.
“We were delighted to support this particular initiative, which not only encourages people to leave the car at home and travel by more sustainable means, but will also help to clean up Bristol harbourside, which is such a popular destination for our customers.”
Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from Severnside CRP via their website.
