Latest Restoration News

November 2023

Trust volunteers have been working both upstream and downstream of Baylham Mill clearing floating tree logs restricting the river flow. These log jams cause debris to build up in front of them, often comprising plastic debris, vegetation and raw sewage. When the river flow is restricted water flows around the blockage, often destroying the river bank around it.

October 2023
Trust volunteers have been busy reinstating the towpath alongside the river downstream of Bramford road bridge. The now open reinstated towpath with lovely river views runs parallel to the established footpath some 100ft away from the river.

September 2023

At Pipps Ford volunteers have levelled off the path and straightened it through the trees. A small improvement but one that will help keep the path mud free. At Claydon volunteers cleared maybe as many as 100 old felled logs laying between the path and the river, enabling the path to be made wider and hopefully safer as it’s narrowness created a worn rut in the path making it very difficult to walk without slipping when wet.

River and path clearance work

This very large, old, rotten (but still alive) willow tree fell down across the path and across the river, blocking both. A small volunteer work force took a couple of days to clear it. When willow trees fall in the river their branches send out roots to the bottom of the river and regrow from there, often mid stream, creating an island which obstructs the river flow.

August 2023

The final part of the Pipps Ford lock restoration work was completed in August 2023, leaving it ready for lock gate installation. To do this the lock was pumped dry by damming off the river in front and behind the lock. More info here.

The Trust’s Meeting with local MPs

Three RGT Trustees met up with MPs Tom Hunt and Dan Poulter together with Suffolk Council representatives at Baylham on 7th July. They are all very supportive of the work the Trust is doing and are looking at ways to further support us. Copy of Dan Poulter FB page and more volunteer path maintenance work below.

Volunteers at work

Most of the volunteer workload during the summer months consists of river clearance work (above) and path clearance work (below). Click on photos to enlarge.

Footbridge Opening

Dr Dan Poulter cutting the ribbon to officially open Howard’s Bridge on 20th May with the Trust’s Chair John Warren and the Trust’s Restoration Manager Ian Petchey each giving speeches to the 75 attending guests.

Bramford to Badley Lock

Trust volunteers are now working on keeping the footpath clear of nettles and brambles, suitable for walking in shorts, between Bramford and Badley Lock. The footpath between Bramford and Badley will be cut once per month. Volunteers recently worked on the Bramford to Claydon section.

April - Howard’s Bridge

The Trust have named the footbridge at Baylham ‘Howard’s Bridge’ after our much loved and missed volunteer Les Howard who passed away two years ago. Les was instrumental in the early planning and fund raising stages of the Bridge. At the Trust’s naming ceremony on Sunday 30th April, Les’s wife and family attended with Trustees and volunteers. The footbridge in now open to the public with the official opening by Dr Dan Poulter being on Saturday 20th May. All welcome.

Claydon Towpath

Trust volunteers have been working hard, making improvements to the towpath at Claydon. Around 1km of the path has been reinstated and improved.

Restoring the towpath at Claydon

The footpath at Claydon runs for approximately 1km around 100 feet away from the river. Trust volunteers are working to reinstate the towpath adjacent to the river. Judging by the density of overgrowth the path has not been used for around 15 years. The towpath is now walkable between the two road bridges with care. Work in progress

Early February

Volunteers started work on the 1st February and managed to clear about half of the towpath between the two road bridges