Friends of the Cam co-founder stands for Chancellor of Cambridge University
One of the co-founders of Friends of the Cam, Tony Booth, is standing for Chancellor of Cambridge University (Film explaining why here).
Cam River Rights Festival
On Midsummer's Eve, Saturday 21st June, Friends of the Cam held its 5th River Rights Festival at which we rededicated the rights of the river. This is needed now more than ever, as threats to our rivers, biodiversity, and communities multiply.
Challenging the Fixed Bus Way through Coton Orchard
Friends of the Cam submitted an objection to the plan to build a fixed dedicated bus route from Cambridge (Grange Road) to Cambourne, via Coton, destroying a traditional orchard of national importance in the process. The Department of Transport have now announced a Public Inquiry, and Friends of the Cam have registered as an interested party and will be making our objection. The reasons for this objection are set out below.
Friends of the Cam in solidarity with Save Honey Hill as they decide not to pursue legal challenge
The Government has now approved a plan which will see £277m of public money go to Anglian Water to move its sewage plant to Green Belt on the outskirts of Cambridge, overriding the clear recommendation from the Government’s own independent planning inspectors that the project should not be given consent. The planning inspector found that there was “not a convincing case” for the move and that the harm to the green belt would be “substantial”.
WHY FRIENDS OF THE CAM DO NOT SUPPORT A DESIGNATED BATHING AREA AT SHEEP’S GREEN
Friends of the Cam campaign for an unpolluted river, against over-abstraction from it, and the unsustainable growth in buildings and infrastructure that impact on both. Designating short stretches of rivers may lead to some very limited local improvement of water quality, at the expense of water quality elsewhere. Friends of the Cam opposed the DBA application in the consultation for reasons given below.
About
Friends of the Cam are a Cambridge based campaigning group committed to restoring the health of the river Cam and its tributaries for the benefit of nature. We are pledged to ending pollution of the river and overabstraction linked to unsustainable growth in the area. We have developed a charter to express these commitments which we invite others to sign.
The Issues
The River Cam and its tributaries are suffering badly from over-abstraction, agricultural run-off and sewage discharge leaving them in poor condition with very low flow levels and dirty water. At the same time the area is in the midst of a dash for growth in building houses and offices which is putting further strain on natural water flow and preventing the restoration of an already depleted system.
Taking Action
We can act by constantly opposing the conditions that are wrecking the River Cam and its streams. We can spread the word, persuade others, write letters, attend policy meetings, expose the role of water companies, businesses including farms, greenwashing efforts, planning officers, Councils, monitoring agencies. We can counter the unsustainability of building and infrastructure proposals. We can strengthen alliances with all those national and local groups who act with clarity and integrity to protect our River and counter unsustainable growth. We declare the Rights of the River Cam at a public ceremony every Midsummer's day in June as a way of spreading the word and creating a network of River Defenders prepared to act to protect the River.
Contact
Subscribe to our newsletter and receive updates of events and campaigns.