Always on
This project successfully funded on 15th October 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
Voices of Water (VoW) - Supporting our campaigning
Helston, Cornwall, United Kingdom
Aim
Continue supporting our River Guardianship mission + our founders petition for Rivers & Rias in England to get legal recognition.
You Will Fund and Support
Previously this Crowdfunder was set up to, and successfully supported, Voices of Water Foundation (VoW) founder, Emmeline, and local filming group Root and River Creative, in the VoW pilgrimage campaign, in aid of our River Rights petition (info below). Funds raised supported Emmeline's physical pilgrimage journey, needed equipment, filming/documentation process + social media content, advertised on the Voices of Water Foundations (VoW) Instagram.
Currently this Crowdfunder continues to support admin, content creation, and River Rights campaigning via social media, blogs and events, undertaken by VoW founder Emmeline, supported by Root and River Creative. Your contribution will help us continue to share the word about our founders petition - to grant Rivers and Ria's in England Legal Personhood (legal recognition) + the showcasing and planning of our VoW Guardianship projects and overall mission.
Further info below about our mission and backstory.
What is River Legal Personhood?
River personhood (legal recognition) is a legal concept that gives a River a voice, by granting a River the status of a legal person. This shifts a River from being ‘objectified’ under law, to being recognized as an entity with legal 'standing', one with intrinsic value and essential rights that deserve to be enforced and protected. As apart of the wider Rights of Nature movement, River Legal Personhood is ecocentric, following the guardianship model, whereby legal River Guardians are appointed to act on behalf of the Rivers rights, such as the right to flow, the right to regeneration and restoration, and so on. In this, we at the Voices of Water Foundation (VoW) believe that granting Rivers Legal Personhood has the power to change and deepen relationships between humans and nature, away from one of domination, to one of balance.
The Back Story:
Where the journey and mission began
I am a Wildlife Biologist and Filmmaker, who has been investigating issues, environmentally and systemically, with River and Drowned River Valley (Ria) environments in the UK since 2021. While making a river documentary, entitled Veins of the Earth (VOTE), I realised the huge and complex systemic issues surrounding and hindering the protection of Rivers are entrenched. I asked myself, how could I as an individual be most effective?
A ‘root’ of the issues
With this, I discovered what I believe to be a ‘root’ to some of the many issues, the fact that Nature, Rivers, are treated as 'objects' under current UK environmental law. While I believe this provides a 'doorway' for exploitation and harm to Mother Earth, I think this also causes subconscious separation, that disconnects us from 'her' in many ways. This is where I think we have a power in changing the words.
A law change mission + coming together in River Guardianship
After lots of soul searching and advice from wise people working in this space, I decided to do three things:
1. Launch a petition calling the UK Government to start granting Rivers and Rias Legal Personhood. Petition signature deadline - 22nd January 2026.
2. I then embarked on an 100 day, 900+ mile pilgrimage from Cornwall to South Wales, then back to, and across England, ending at the mouth of the River Thames, in aid of the petition, making a physical journey to move things forward, and reconnect myself to many Rivers along the way.
3. Form a soon to be charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) in Cornwall called the Voices of Water Foundation (VoW). A focus being, for River Guardianship groups, based on the Rivers Rights to be free from pollution and so on to form and come together, connected conservation and projects, on behalf of/for the Rivers voice.
My research began in Cornwall, by the Helford River I love and live by, and this is where I have made my VoW to flowing waters. If a law change is successful, this will be a first in the UK, one that begins to enshrine protection for the Rights of Rivers and Rias in national law, from ‘objects’ to ‘entities’, with legal rights that deserve to be protected and enforced.
Voices of Water Foundation (VoW) - River Guardianship to come
VoW builds a stronger 'backbone' behind the petition, and has brought in experienced trustees who supported the first 'tributary' mission - the petition and pilgrimage. As Emmeline continues to campaign for the law change, we are beginning preparations and projects for local people and organisations to connect together in Guardianship for the River, creating a local River Guardianship model, that we hope can also be applied nationally in the future.
Stay updated on our instagram - voicesofwaterfoundation
Find out more info on our website - voicesofwaterfoundation.org
Video compilation footage by: Adam Radage
Music by: David John Williamson
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made