Catherine Fookes, MP for Monmouthshire, has stepped up her campaign to clean up and protect all our Rivers, starting with signing the Charter for the River Wye, writing to the new Environment Minister calling for a Water Protection Zone, and launching a summer programme of visits to volunteers groups working to restore all our rivers across Monmouthshire.

The Charter, signed alongside local councils and community representatives in Tintern, sets out six key principles for the future of the River Wye, including the right to flow naturally, the right to biodiversity, the right to be free from pollution and the right to be represented.

Alongside signing the Charter, Catherine has written to the new Environment Minister urging her to make protecting the River Wye a priority.

In the letter - and in a question in Parliament - she calls for the introduction of a Water Protection Zone across the English and Welsh sections of the river, requesting a meeting with the Minister and the Wye Catchment Partnership to discuss further action.

Over the coming weeks, Catherine is also meeting campaigners, charities and environmental organisations across Monmouthshire to better understand the work already taking place and identify how she can support it in Parliament.

She also recently trained as a Citizen Scientist so she can regularly take part in water quality testing on the River Wye. She completed her first session recently.

Catherine Fookes MP said: "Since being elected, cleaning up our rivers has been one of my top priorities because I know just how important they are to both people and nature across Monmouthshire.

Signing the Charter for the River Wye was an important opportunity to show my support for the long-term protection of this iconic river.

But signing a charter isn't enough on its own. That's why I've written to the new Environment Minister urging her to make the River Wye a priority, requesting a meeting to discuss further action, and I'm spending the summer meeting the brilliant organisations and campaigners already working so hard to protect our rivers.

Time is running out for the Wye. I'll continue doing everything I can, both here in Monmouthshire and in Parliament, to secure the action needed to clean up and protect our rivers for future generations."

Cleaning up Monmouthshire’s rivers remains one of Catherine's key campaigning priorities. Since becoming MP, she has repeatedly raised river pollution in Parliament, helped secure £1 million for the River Wye Action Plan, called for a Water Protection Zone for the river, and continues to work with local organisations across Monmouthshire to support efforts to improve water quality.

Friends of the River Wye have launched The Riverside Code, a new guide endorsed by author Robert Macfarlane and actor and activist Jim Murray, to equip the public with the tools to help protect and restore rivers.

Launched on 22 April (Earth Day), The Riverside Code is a practical, pocket-sized guide designed to help people understand how to care for rivers and respond to the growing crisis facing the River Wye. Inspired by the Countryside Code, it translates concern into clear, accessible actions that anyone can take.