Our rivers are dying. We humans are responsible. What a fine kettle of fish we have created writes Laura Liddell

A group of eight artists are driven to try to make a difference through their art alongside Save the Wye campaign. John Slater, Nichola Goff, Laura Liddell, Mollie Meager, Rachel Bomford, Pat Homewood, Melanie Clarke, Carolyn Black.

Ebb and Flow is currently showing in the gallery at The George in Newnham until September, 21 and is open open 11am to 4pm every day except Sundays and Mondays.

It was opened on September 6 by the two giant puppets, the Goddess of the Severn, called Sabrina or the Welsh name Hafren and the Goddess of the Wye, Gwy and Lady Wye who performed the ceremony with waters “borrowed” from the source of the rivers. The Climate Choir and Local Samba band Forest Thump led the procession bearing the waters to the George with banners and flags.

Many community groups have been involved in the exhibition. Workshops have been run by John Slater and Nichola Goff and on Saturday, September 14 between 12 – 3pm they will be running drop-in workshops at the George.

Local people are invited to drop in and create a Poetry Salmon to celebrate and raise awareness of our rivers, or colour paper with natural pigments to create a paper boat to offer up to the river on September 21, the equinox, at the exhibition’s closing celebration. This will be a free event starting at 5pm when there will be a chance to join the procession to the riverside, led by the giant puppets. After poems and songs from the Bella Mamas choir, the paper boats will be offered to the river. Finally, the waters borrowed from the source of the rivers Severn and Wye at the start of the exhibition will be returned to the river by Lady Wye.

Let’s celebrate our rivers, connect with our rivers, nurture our rivers before it is too late. After all we cannot survive without water. Indeed, we are over 60 per cent water ourselves. We must preserve this life-giving force.