Welcome to your July Staff Newsletter
We’re excited to bring you this month’s updates, highlights, and achievements
Key Highlights / Announcements
Did you know
There is a Breathe HR App?
Benefits of Using the Breathe HR App:
Quick Access to HR Info
Easily view your personal details, holiday balance, and documents without needing a desktop.
Request Time Off in Seconds
Submit leave requests on the go - whether you’re commuting, on a break, or at home.
Stay Informed
Get notifications for approvals, updates, and company news instantly.
User-Friendly Experience
Simple interface that makes HR tasks easy and stress-free. Improved Transparency
You can see the status of your requests and upcoming time off clearly. Available on iOS & Android
Search "Breathe HR" in your app store
Your Feedback Matters
We’d love to hear from you as we continue to improve HR services and programs. What are we doing well? Where can we improve? Your feedback helps shape our efforts to better support you throughout the year. Send your feedback to hr@wrt.org.uk
Employee Spotlights
At the heart of our success are the individuals who make this organisation great. We’re thrilled to celebrate some of our colleagues who achieved significant milestones in June:
Congratulations to James Harbord, who on the 1 July, will be celebrating 5 years with WRT !
. Let’s continue to celebrate the achievements of our colleagues and support one another in the year ahead
Congratulations to Rob Willcocks, who completed the Dartmoor Classic Medio route on the 22nd June.
Congratulations to Emily Howard Williams, who on the 1 July, will be celebrating 5 years with WRT !
Employee Spotlights
WRT Dog(s) of the Month….
Her next book will be: How to Win Treats and Influence Humans" by Pup Carnegie (Master the puppy eyes. Dominate the treat jar.)
H&S Updates
Accidents, Incidents and near miss
Incident Overview: 2 reported incidents this month
1. Minor Injury riverbank collapse – A staff member was conducting a walkover survey as they approached the riverbank to observe the river it collapsed underfoot, resulting in a fall, they fell to the left of the bank and went down to the ground landing on their left leg.
Corrective Actions: To prevent future incidents,
Review and update risk assessments to ensure that, prior to any survey, the stability of the ground particularly near riverbanks is thoroughly evaluated
Staff to be made aware of the dangers of riverbank collapse, WRT Newsletter & Trust meeting.
2. Minor Injury use of silky saw
Whilst cutting wooden stakes down to size, and working at speed, a silky saw jumped out of the initial cut and sliced the back of staff member’s right hand, leaving a serrated cut because of the teeth of the hand saw. This was not deep and has not caused further damage beyond the initial wound.
Corrective Actions: To prevent future incidents,
Tool Box Talk - using the saw carefully (e.g., it is a pull saw and so needing to cut a groove gently into the wood before getting up to speed), choice of rests to cut material in a stable position, and for the Team lead to plan in plenty of time to allow for cutting stakes. Always wear work gloves when using a silky saw and changing the blade. Always inspect the saw before using. Do not use if the blade is loose or if the blade is bent or damaged.
H&S Updates
Safety Observation Cards – Reported
One safety observation card was submitted by Rob WillcocksSafe Behaviour/Good Practice
Rob Willcocks was part of site visit to plan riverbank re-grading work a set of 11kv powerlines were observed, as well as a copper braided wire coming out of the bank and extending in the water.
Landowner did not think the copper wire was important and had stated that he had previously cut it off, but the bank had migrated from the erosion.
Checking utilities maps as part of proper preparations for the site, showed that it was possible it would be an earthing wire. Rob then contacted National Grid and arranged a site visit, who confirmed it was part of the earthing system for the high voltage poles (not live though) and arranged for National Grid representatives to come down on site and re-lay the earthing wire in a direction away from the bank so that rob and the team could safely continue, and the wire would not continue to be lost to the river’s erosion.
Robs
- Safety Suggestion/reminder: To make sure that sites are checked for utilities well in advance of delivery work commencing, as this could greatly change plans or even put lives at risk. LSBUD and SWIMM are free utilities checks that should be done at the initial stage of designing. Maps do not always show location exactly, so further checks are often needed on site before breaking ground. The WRT before you dig standard operating procedure (SOP) on share point can also be referenced.
• CDM 2015 for Contractors and Principal Contractors Course
Upcoming Courses:
• Using a chainsaw from a rope and harness Refresher
Additional courses will be scheduled throughout the year, including:
• Water Safety
• First Aid Courses attended over the last month: -
H&SSteve
• Ihasco Manual handling, COSHH awareness, Asbestos awareness
Fergus, Rob G, Freddie and Rob C when completing their chainsaw refresher in May.
If you identify any Health & Safety courses relevant to your role, whether related to new processes, equipment, activities, or project specific, please inform your line manager or Steve to investigate and arrange suitable training.
July is Ultraviolet (UV) Safety Month, a time to highlight the importance of protecting our skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Prolonged exposure to UV radiation can lead to serious health issues, including skin cancer, sunburns, and premature aging. Today, we’ll discuss how to protect ourselves while working outdoors.
1. Understanding UV Radiation:
• Types of UV Rays: There are three types of UV rays – UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVA and UVB rays can damage our skin and lead to long-term health issues.
• Health Risks: Prolonged exposure to UV radiation can cause skin cancer, eye damage, immune system suppression, and premature aging of the skin.
2. Importance of UV Protection:
• Skin Cancer Prevention: Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, and UV exposure is the primary cause. Protecting your skin significantly reduces your risk.
• Preventing Sunburns: Sunburns are painful and can cause longterm damage to the skin. Repeated sunburns increase the risk of skin cancer.
3. Practical UV Protection Tips:
• Use Sunscreen: Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Reapply every two hours and after sweating or swimming.
• Wear Protective Clothing: Wear long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, and a wide-brimmed hat to cover as much skin as possible. UVprotective clothing is recommended.
• Use Sunglasses: Protect your eyes with sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays.
• Seek Shade: Whenever possible, take breaks in the shade, especially during peak UV radiation hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated, as dehydration can increase the risk of heat-related illnesses.
4
. Workplace UV Safety Measures:
• Provide Sunscreen: Ensure sunscreen is available at the workplace for employees to use.
• Encourage Breaks: Encourage employees to take regular breaks in shaded or indoor areas.
• Implement UV Policies: Develop and enforce workplace policies that prioritize UV protection, such as wearing protective clothing and using sunscreen.
• Educate Employees: Conduct regular training sessions on the importance of UV safety and how to protect against UV radiation.
5. Recognizing Signs of Overexposure:
• Sunburn: Red, painful skin that feels hot to the touch.
• Heat Rash: Red clusters of small blisters that look like pimples on the skin.
• Heat Exhaustion: Heavy sweating, weakness, cold, pale and clammy skin, fast weak pulse, nausea, and fainting.
• Heat Stroke: High body temperature, hot, red, dry or moist skin, rapid and strong pulse, possible unconsciousness. This is a medical emergency – seek help immediately.
Conclusion By taking these precautions and being mindful of UV exposure, we can protect ourselves from the harmful effects of UV radiation. Let’s ensure we all follow these guidelines to maintain a safe and healthy work environment this summer.
Royal Cornwall Show
WRT had a small stand at the Royal Cornwall Show as part of the Food, Farming and Nature Hub, arranged by Cornwall Council.
We were alongside Farm Net Zero, AHDB, CWT, Soil Symbiosis, FIPL to name but a few.
Our attendance was to promote, Upstream Thinking and our Land Team commercial offering. Ross, Helen and James also represented Farm Net Zero and Agri Carbon Kernow.
Despite some damp spells we had a good number of contacts throughout the three days – both getting our name out there and making solid project contacts for the future.
On the Friday the stand was pleased to welcome Prince William but unfortunately, he changed his intended route before he came and talked to us all at our stands!!
The stand won Best Small Agriculture Stand and a Special Educational Award through the Trade Stand Competition.
Thanks to all those that made this possible. A good show to promote ourselves at – being one of the best attended and well-respected shows in the Southwest.
Emily and Leona’s Burgh Island Swim
Hello!!
So, Leona and I will be doing the burgh island swim on the 27th July. It’s only about a mile but when there’s lots of people int he water that’s hard work!!
Last time I did an open water swim, my wetsuit was too tight, and I had to be unzipped by a supporting kayaker and fed gummi bears.
I think Leona will have a great time, and I’ll will also be there.
This is organised by the chestnut appeal, so I have set up a little just giving page in case anyone fancies supporting testicular health in the WestCountry.
Herbal ley trial – what’s that all about then?
What is a ley? And what makes it herbal? And why are WRT interested? Well, a ley is the term for a piece of land put down to grass or a mixture of grasses and flowers for a single season or number of years, as opposed to permanent pasture, which is well, permanent. Herbal leys contain many more species of grass, herbs, and legumes, and have seen a lot of farming interest in recent years because they have numerous potential benefits for farming and for the environment (the type of ‘win-win’ practice that WRT farm advisors get excited about!). These benefits include:
• Deeper rooting plants that benefit soil structure, increase water infiltration rates, and can reduce the reliance on artificial fertilisers;
• Greater floristic diversity which benefits pollinators, and provides livestock with a more varied diet – think mixed salad as opposed to iceberg lettuce;
• Potential for carbon capture if they are left alone for several years and especially if sown with minimum tillage methods;
• Potential health benefits for livestock and the humans that eat their meat.
What was our trial about? Well, our trial started with a group of Dartmoor farmers approaching me and asking if Southwest Water would be interested in funding a trial to show if and how herbal leys might work on Dartmoor Farms.
Long story short – SWW were keen and in 2022 I embarked on the trial with the farmers, setting out on a mission to survey the chosen trial and control fields for soil chemistry and structure, existing floristic diversity (the last thing we want to do is change a field that is already great for pollinators / infiltration etc), invertebrate activity, plus anecdotal evidence on how fields yielded. With my move to the dark side of management, Wendy took over the trial and then Karen took it over when Wendy moved on to her new role.
From a starting point of seven farmers, three had fields that were already diverse and there was subsequently no benefit in their participating. Another farm joined the trial a little late, but that left five on which various different practices were trialled against control conditions. The trial was too small a scale for statistical differences to be pulled out between farms, so the parameters were measured for each farm before and after practices were changed, and between control and trial fields. The practices trialled included: introduction of mob grazing, sowing of various species mixes using different establishment methods, and application of lime to ensure that soil pH was optimum for a herbal ley. The results of the trial are complex and multifarious, and need a lot of explanation, using more words that I have here – you can find the full report here: Herbal Leys Trial FINAL REPORT v2.pdf
Herbal ley trial – what’s that all about then? (
On Friday 13th June I attended the wrap-up event that Karen Saunders organised for the trial, which was attended by several of the farmers, Southwest Water, myself and Wendy. We looked at various sites and Karen later did an excellent presentation, all whilst eating a pasty. The technical conclusions can be found in the report but the conclusions I drew were:
✓ Trials can lead to amazing things – this trial helped pull together a group of 8 very different farmers in the Widecombe part of Dartmoor. This group has since gone on to develop the Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery scheme, which has the potential to change the way that Dartmoor is managed for the very long term.
✓ Trials are very, very challenging! SWW didn’t pay for our time for the trial, as we were ‘already there’ through Green Recovery, instead paying the farmers the costs of seed, lime and establishment costs, and paying us for soil and forage analysis. Other than that, we had to beg and borrow people and their time. Numerous WRT staff have helped with aspects of the trial (Ferg and Kris to name two) and we are grateful for their good will.
✓ Last but certainly not least, trials can and should leave a legacy – this trial has led to a tremendous feeling of good will from the group of farmers involved, towards WRT and SWW. They are extremely keen to carry on and learn more, and we are keen to find a way to facilitate this, especially as these farmers have influence on an area of land that is the headwaters to many of our major rivers.
P.S. this is a simplified write-up. It was actually a lot more complex, and we also worked with Plymouth Uni on a plot-scale trial…
event
One of the trial fields in flower
The soil aerator purchased through the trial Field discussion at the wrap-up
DEF Crowdfunder
DEF is running a new fundraising campaign on Crowdfunder (see HERE).
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/feast-for-12-with-mitch-tonks-ben-tonks-and-mark-hix
Salmon Run
It’s coming up to that time of year again, time to lace up your running shoes and pretend to be a salmon!
That’s right the Salmon Run is back! This year it will be taking place on the place on the 20th of September It’s an awesome event put on by Tidelines, with support from WRT. Salmon Run is a community celebration of the remarkable but ever threatened Atlantic Salmon, its journey, and its ecological and cultural significance within the Exe. Weirs, the changing climate, loss of species diversity and pollution all have their impact on these iconic fish; by sharing a journey with these awesome, fish we hope to raise awareness and connect with a species that could soon be lost.
Starting at the mouth of the river in Exmouth, ‘Samantha’, the salmon baton is pulled from the sea and ran in relay 50 miles by teams all the way too Dulverton . For those of you who are interested you can run either:
• The Ultra Marathon- 43 miles- (I hear Dr. Osmond might be partaking)
• The Team Relay- see map to right for legs
• Salmon Run 5km-Park Run in Exmouth at 9am
Links to sign up are here- https://tidelines.uk/blog/salmon-run-2025/
For those of you who didn’t run last year and rolled your tickets over to this year, Tom thinks you might be able to sign up if you contact the organisers, Tom will find out more.
The Salmon Run Crowd Funder is also live, any extra donations will go towards the delivery of salmon conservation works at WRT.- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/salmon-run-2025
If you have any questions or if you would like to run, please let Tom know and he will put together a team’s channel!
Otter Land Use and Water Resources project
The monitoring element of the Otter Land Use and Water Resources project has finished after 2.5 years of field-based data collection. The project objective was to collect environmental data for building a model which calculates the impacts of different land uses and tree planting scenarios on the distribution of water resources across a catchment. Three sub-catchments in the upper part of the Otter were monitored for comparison: a fully wooded sub-catchment, a riparian buffer strip with pasture, and a sub-catchment of exclusively agricultural pasture.
Data we collected included:
• temperature, conductivity, and level of river water and groundwater
• flow rates of rivers
• soil moisture at differing depths of the soil profile up to one meter
• rainfall volumes
• weather patterns
This has been a huge project for the monitoring team to deliver and has come with many challenges to overcome, including starting during COVID, collecting very fine temporal measurements (taking measurements every 5 mins drains batteries quickly), and the flashy nature of the catchment leading to collapsed riverbanks and sensors getting washed out under the torrent of water.
Unfortunately, the tool the EA and WSP was going to create will not be delivered, however the evidence base will be used to inform other projects on how to manage land use changes and protect water resources.
Special thanks to Hannah who took time out from the Rivers and Fisheries team to help with equipment maintenance and data management for this project.
Tamar Catchment Partnership Summer Meeting
The Tamar Catchment Partnership held their summer meeting on the 18th June in Saltash, bringing together a broad mix of stakeholders, with the day taking on a fish theme. WRT host the Tamar Catchment Partnership (Giles and Jenny), along with co-hosting the South Devon (Nicola and Zoe C.) and East Devon (Yog) Catchment Partnerships. The day was organised and hosted online by Jenny, with Giles chairing the in-person event alongside Rob Price (EA Catchment Coordinator), with technical support provided by Ada and Alice from the EE Team.
As part of the national Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) initiative, the Partnership works collaboratively to identify and support better environmental outcomes throughout the Tamar catchment covering its rivers, tributaries, estuaries and coastal waters. The aim of CaBA is to maximise the natural value of our environment through collaborative, catchment-scale working from source to sea delivering environmental, social and economic benefits while protecting our water environments for the benefit of all.
The morning hybrid session featured five presentations from partners from the River Tamar and Tributaries Fisheries Association, Lynher River Association (LRA), Environment Agency, Plymouth Marine Laboratories and Westcountry Rivers Trust. Presenters gave an overview of the historical and current issues facing fish in the Tamar. Presenters shared project updates on the fantastic work being done in the catchment, such as the LRA salmon hatchery, the Tamar Index River Fisheries Reporting, Vis4Sea and our very own Annabel gave a fantastic rundown of Upstream Thinking 3.
After a networking lunch of hot pasties, attendees headed out for a very sunny site visit to Coombe Mill Farm in Pillaton, where the landowners are coming out of intensive arable farming and are working to reconnect flood plains and restore wetland areas. The visit was led by Rob Price (EA), with the landowners (and their two dogs) helping guide the group through the site, which offered stunning views across the River Lynher. Alongside the flood mitigation benefits provided by this project, the landowners are keen to see the ecological co-benefits that may arise from restoring the wetland habitat.
If you are working in the Tamar catchment and are not already on the TCP mailing list, please email Jenny who will be happy to add you.
Devon Resilience Innovation Project (DRIP)
We’re excited to share our new short film, which highlights the incredible work happening through our Rapid Response Catchments Project to reduce flood risk and build flood resilience across Devon. This initiative is part of the Devon Resilience Innovation Project (DRIP).
DRIP is funded by Defra through the £200 million Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme and managed by the Environment Agency. The programme supports the development and testing of innovative approaches to help communities adapt to the growing risks of flooding and climate change.
Our focus is on Devon’s rapid response catchments- small river basins between 5 and 10 square kilometres. These catchments are particularly vulnerable due to steep slopes, compacted or impermeable soils, and limited water storage. As a result, rainfall quickly leads to surface runoff, increasing the risk of flooding. However, they also offer some of the greatest potential for Natural Flood Management (NFM) and effective community collaboration.
We’re very pleased with the results of the work so far. Through ongoing monitoring, we are excited to see how these interventions will continue to benefit the landscape and communities in the future.
Thank you to Helen and Rachel for all their work and starring in the film (I added this part !)
You can watch the film here.
Tips & Resources
Useful Information
Next Staff Meeting: Tuesday 8th July 2025
ITEMIT - If you are using/taking away an asset that is not on your Breathe asset list, please remember you need to check-out the item using ITEMIT.
Cycle Log.xlsx
✓ Please ensure that you are insured for “Business use” – if you are using your vehicle to travel on Trust business to ensure you are compliant with the WRT policy.
WRT Summer Fun Day: Tuesday 15th July!!
We’d love to hear your stories and share them in your staff newsletter. You can recognise achievements inside or outside of work, share photos from away days or delivery sites, feedback from conferences or events. If you have any suggestions, please send them over to Liz via liz@wrt.org.uk