Blogs to browse - written by the ERA steering group, members and guests
How’s the Rother doing?
The Western Sussex Rivers Trust (WSRT) has recently been sharing some analysis of the 2026 data from the River Guardians Water Testing programme which we thought would interest our members so here is an outline of some of those findings.
To swim or not to swim?
Given that the River Rother and its tributaries are a focus for much of our practical work, be that with Himalayan Balsam pulling or our E.coli testing of river water, it is inevitable that we regularly get asked if it is safe to swim in the Rother. We feel strongly that it is not our place to make that decision for you, but we can certainly help you by giving you all the information we have amassed.
A well-adapted UK – report by the Climate Change Committee (CCC)
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) is the UK’s independent adviser on tackling climate change.
In May 2026 the CCC published a report called A Well-Adapted UK. For the first time, the Committee has offered advice on potential solutions to address climate risks because what governments have done on adaptation to date is clearly not working.
This is our take on that report.
Beyond GDP: Counting What Counts
In order to improve something, it is necessary to be able to measure it. A recent report from the UN proposes 31 measures of factors relating to human well-being, which would be published by all countries regularly allowing a more comprehensive comparison between countries and a better assessment of their progress.
People’s Emergency Briefing Screening
In November 2025, more than 1,200 MPs, peers and leaders from business, culture, faith, sport and the media gathered at Westminster Central Hall for the National Emergency Briefing - a landmark event bringing together leading experts to assess the UK’s exposure to climate and nature risks. This national event has now been adapted into a 50-minute public film.
ERA was pleased to offer a local screening of this film in Nyewood.
Just what IS going on at Harting WTW?
All too often Harting is discharging untreated effluent (that is, untreated except for coming through filters for solids down to 6mm square, plus some amount of settlement that might occurs while this effluent is in the storm tank). That then goes into the very small Elstead Stream.
How to make a worm bomb
We thank James Sillicorn from Fairer World Lindfield for the following instructions for make a worm “bomb”, to encourage worms in your garden.
Save our soils!
James, from Fairer World Lindfield, introduced us to the wonders of owning a wormery, while explaining why earthworms are so very important, finishing by outlining some steps we can all take to benefit worms and the soil they live in.
Sponsored walk 2026
ERA’s sponsored walk took place on a glorious spring day on 19th April. 14 walkers (and 2 dogs) spent a lovely morning walking along the river from Woolbeding bridge to Stedham and back.
ERA on Channel 4 News
Although they filmed ERA Chair, Veronica Carter, for about 20 minutes it got edited down to something much less. We were provided with the proposed questions beforehand and considerable thought went into how to best answer those questions, so we thought it worth publishing those questions and our prepared answers as a blog, which serves to tell the story of where we are up to with our E.coli testing of our local waterways.
