The Election Road Trip Blog

A rolling blog for our election tour, check back tomorrow for extra videos and news from Reading.

Day 1 – Windermere

We started in the Lake District in Windermere, where we met with the local Save Windermere campaign and took part in their Monday morning protest outside United Utilities. Giles and the team, plus bus, were live on Good Morning Britain, a great way to start things off.

Day 2 – Edinburgh

Our first Hustings in Edinburgh where local candidates answered questions on the sea front at Portobello, we were also joined by the local Blue Balls swimming group…

Day 3 – Northumbrian Water

Wherever we can we have called in at the HQs of water companies and delivered our letters calling for useable data on sewage pollution.

Day 4 – Saltburn

Summer Solstice Pre Hustings Swim at Saltburn

Saltburn for the Solstice, a great Hustings in the local school and a great dawn dip.

Stop 5 – Richmond

The PM’s constituency, sadly he was too busy, and we joined forces with Save Our Swale on the river bank for another fantastic Hustings.

Stop 6 – Restore Nature Now March London

Some of the team headed to London, where they were joined by some from HQ, trustees and Exmouth swimming campaigner Jo Batmen.

Stop 7 – Gower

The Gower was a classic hustings on the beach, with a small wave thrown in for good measure

Stop 8 – Reading

The River Thames, the United Kingdom’s most famous river, home to rowers, anglers, swimmers, paddlers and sailors, and a river which has long been associated with sewage pollution and sadly becoming ill. We joined forces with local groups from our Plastic Free Communities and also fellow campaigners, River Action to hold a paddle out and a Hustings.

Stop 9 – Hastings

Our biggest turnout in Hastings. Epic. Thanks to the Goat Edge for hosting. Lots of talk on the ‘why’ we need to fix sewage pollution, and some views on the ‘how’. Thanks to the incredible bunch of people that joined, and for asking important questions to local candidates. Local knowledge is so important at these hustings to find out what candidates are going to do in your area.

The team finished the day buzzing from the event with a sunset swim.

Stop 10 – Southampton and Lyme Regis

Under the heat of the Southampton sun, and stoked from an epic hustings in Plymouth, the team picked up the road trip and headed to the River Itchen. There we met and protested with the Friends of the Itchen Estuary. The wonderful group are campaigning for better water quality on a much loved stretch of river. Locals talked of being able to swim in the river five years ago, but most won’t head into the water now for fear of the health impacts. We stopped off in Lyme Regis, our CEOs home turf. An incredible backdrop for some shots! Before getting back on the road to meet another community and get on our way to Plymouth for today’s hustings. All in a day’s work to save the ocean.