Connecting a local community to their river in Co Tyrone
The community around the Torrent River is working to improve their environment and local water quality through education and activities such as litter picking, with volunteers playing an important role. The project, led by The Speedwell Trust, is supported by a Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) grant via the Water Quality Improvement Strand (WQIS), delivered by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
The Speedwell Trust Limited is a registered charity which aims to promote good relations through shared education. It operates from offices in Parkanaur Forest Park where the Upper Torrent River runs through.
For the past number of years, the Trust has received funding through the Water Quality Improvement Strand to run projects with the aim of increasing the public’s appreciation, understanding of, and behaviour towards, their water environment. Projects have focused on promoting community engagement through the delivery of river education workshops for primary school and post primary school children, as well as community litter picks.
As a result of the projects, there has already been a noticeable increase in the amount of insect, bird, and small mammal sightings by students at the workshops, demonstrating the tangible difference the volunteering group has made to the area.
Engaging schools through workshops with the support of DAERA staff
During 2023, the Trust delivered 40 river education workshops (indoor and outdoor) to 300 primary school students and 20 members of staff from 10 schools including fieldtrips to Parkanaur forest park. These were designed to meet other curricular themes to increase integration of the workshop learning into the classroom. A further 40 of these workshops were carried out in 2024 for 300 students from eight post-primary schools, linking in with the geography studies of those in KS3 and KS4.
DAERA staff attended several of the workshops at Parkanaur Forest and observed students directly interact with the aquatic environment through water quality testing, measuring river depth and width and identification of invertebrates in the river. This was accompanied by classroom activities focusing on catchment and human impacts on rivers.
Wider community education on water quality
The Speedwell Trust also hosted four Education Days for the community across the two years, in collaboration with Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and educated participants on topics such as species identification, water quality monitoring and water conservation and pollution. The group now meets bimonthly at the Speedwell centre to litter pick and to help improve the environment surrounding the Torrent River.
Impact and outcomes
Finally, a survey of the Upper Torrent River was also completed each year, to outline the current environmental status of the Upper Torrent catchment. The survey identified a 5km stretch of the catchment that has the potential to enhance habitat and water quality measures to improve environmental quality here and in the broader sub-catchment.
Data collected from these surveys, as well as those collected by students during their workshops, is analysed by the Catchment Citizen Science Lab at Oxford Island contributing to understanding of the river’s health and water quality pre- and post-project.
Community engagement and the role of volunteers
A common theme across many WQIS projects is the commitment from volunteers. In this project they expressed how the education days have helped to deepen their connection and willingness to protect their local river.
One attendee remarked:
"Brilliant day had by all. Was great to get the grandkids out in nature and helping the environment. Fantastic work being carried out by Speedwell - keep up the good work!"
Future Plans: Expanding education and volunteer initiatives
The Speedwell Trust has also secured funding for two more projects via the 2025/26 WQIS which will be used to provide more workshops for primary and post-primary schools as workshop demand from new schools has been high. This is due to the positive effects previous projects have had on students’ learning and the environment.
Speaking about the project and the value of the WQIS funding, Stephen Crabbe, Chief Executive of the Speedwell Trust, said:
“Funding from DAERA through the Water Quality Improvement Strand has been truly transformative for the Speedwell Trust. It has enabled us to bring the River Torrent to life for children and communities, helping them see, often for the first time, how deeply their everyday choices shape the health of the water that flows through their own landscape. Through this support, we’ve watched curiosity grow into care, and awareness turn into action.
“The River Torrent project is not just improving local water quality; it is nurturing a sense of pride, protection, and shared responsibility for a precious resource that belongs to us all. We are profoundly grateful for the opportunity to inspire lasting change in both our environment and our community.”
The group also hopes to further its work with their community outreach days and their volunteer group to continue improving the health of the river and the surrounding areas.