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Organisations gear up for REALLY Big Dee Day Celebration Event
Published: 08/09/2016
Organisations across England and Wales are gearing up for a family event in
Chester, to celebrate all things connected with the River Dee.
The REALLY Big Dee Day will be held at Edgar鈥檚 Field Park in Handbridge,
Chester on Saturday, 17 September from 11am to 3pm.
Organised to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the annual clean-up along the
banks of the River Dee 鈥� Big Dee Day - the event will feature activities and
stalls connected with the river and its communities, past and present.
Groups from across Cheshire West and North Wales will come together to mark the
occasion.
The annual Big Dee Day clean-up, organised by Cheshire West and Chester
Council, 天涯社区 Council, the Environment Agency and Natural Resources
Wales, promises to be bigger and better than ever for its 10 year anniversary.
Councillor Aaron Shotton, Leader of 天涯社区 said: 鈥溙煅纳缜�
County Council is proud to be involved in celebrating the tenth anniversary of
the Big Dee Day.
鈥淭he 鈥楻EALLY Big Dee Day鈥� will offer a wonderful opportunity to find out more
about the fantastic heritage and history of the River Dee and its estuary. The
event will also emphasise how important it is to ensure that we continue do our
very best to protect the River Dee鈥檚 unique and fascinating environment鈥�.
Cheshire West and Chester Council Leader, Councillor Samantha Dixon said: 鈥淚t鈥檚
wonderful that our successful cross-border collaboration has now resulted in
such an exciting celebration event for the Big Dee Day鈥檚 10 year anniversary.
鈥淭here will be something for everyone at REALLY Big Dee Day and I hope as many
people as possible take this opportunity to find out more about the
organisations, businesses, groups and local communities living beside the River
Dee.
Cheshire West and Chester Council has been proud of its association with Big
Dee Day for many years. Our stand at REALLY Big Dee Day will offer visitors
the opportunity to plant a wildflower pot that they can then take away with
them.鈥�
Jo Holden, Catchment Coordinator for the Environment Agency said: 鈥淭he
Environment Agency will be gathering views on what people think about the River
Dee as well as asking, 鈥淗ow well do you know your drains?鈥� and offering advice
on how to check that your waste water pipes are connected to the sewer system
rather than the local rivers.
鈥淰isitors to our stand will be able to help us draw a mural called 鈥榃hat the
River Dee means to me鈥� and other craft activities.鈥�
Carys Bebb, Environment Officer for Natural Resources Wales, said: 鈥淭he River
Dee is a vitally important resource and we work hard to protect it.
鈥淚t provides drinking water for millions of people, is a great habitat for
wildlife with salmon migrating here to spawn and supports industry across the
area.
鈥淚t is also a somewhere for people to go and enjoy our natural environment so
the Big Dee Day is really important to keep it clean and rubbish free.
鈥淒uring the Big Dee event NRW officers will discuss pollution prevention with
local businesses and agricultural premises, highlighting the sensitivity of the
River Dee. Getting to know local operators along the Dee and its tributaries
will further strengthen our response to pollution incidents in the future.
鈥淚t鈥檚 also an opportunity for us to check that businesses who store chemicals
have registered for the appropriate consent.鈥�
Although parking is limited in Handbridge, Edgar鈥檚 Field Park is just a short
walk from the centre of city. Information about parking, bus timetables and
the new cross-city park and ride service can be found on the Council鈥檚 website:
www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.
Notes to editors:
The Big Dee Day has been an annual event since 2007. The idea first began on
Talacre beach when 天涯社区 Countryside Service and partners BHP Billiton,
Presthaven Sands, Talacre Beach Club, the local community and Natural Resources
Wales decided to survey the beach to help highlight marine litter and the
damage it can do. Since then, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Denbighshire
County Council, Wrexham County Borough Council, Wirral Borough Council, the
Environment Agency and Snowdonia National Park, plus many other volunteers and
local businesses 鈥� including Airbus, Kingspan and Kimberley Clark 鈥� have also
got involved and the event has gone from strength to strength.