The River Gipping Trust

The River Gipping Trust Restoring the ‘Ipswich to Stowmarket Navigation’ in Suffolk

More Invasive Himalayan Balsam clearance work by RGT, this week with the help of Corporate volunteers from RSM UK workin...
20/06/2026

More Invasive Himalayan Balsam clearance work by RGT, this week with the help of Corporate volunteers from RSM UK working along the Haughley watercourse (a Gipping feeder tributary) with the intent of stopping all Balsam seeds floating downstream to Stowmarket and beyond. The seeds develop mid to late July, removing the plants now stops all seed reproduction. No seeds, no plants. They only grow from seeds. Another step towards the goal of total eradication. Towpath Talk

This week RGT volunteers trimmed the Footpath between Baylham and Great Blakenham and cleared a tree down obstruction on...
18/06/2026

This week RGT volunteers trimmed the Footpath between Baylham and Great Blakenham and cleared a tree down obstruction on the Barham side.

Although this photo was not taken along the Gipping, this would have been a common site through the 1800s along the rive...
16/06/2026

Although this photo was not taken along the Gipping, this would have been a common site through the 1800s along the river Gipping. Around the same size barge and similar landscape. In 1843 there were 21 horse draw barges running between Ipswich and Stowmarket carrying malt, wheat, barley and corn to Ipswich with coal, timber salt and general goods to Stowmarket. The Ipswich to Stowmarket Navigation. John Rennie’s first ever completed canal project (1793).

More extremely high Phosphate levels recorded along the Gipping. Another 2,500 at Spikes Lane. The one in May was report...
16/06/2026

More extremely high Phosphate levels recorded along the Gipping. Another 2,500 at Spikes Lane. The one in May was reported to the Environment Agency last month. Every one highlighted in red this month has now been reported and a follow-up requested. A level of 300 is classed as severe / compromised (upto 100 is good). These extremely Elevated levels will result in a high risk of significant ecosystem damage. They are generally caused by agricultural runoff, animal manure, or raw sewage from wastewater treatment plants. The only Anglian Sewage treatment plant above Spikes Lane is at Haughley which is currently undergoing maintenance and its monitoring service is unavailable on their website. This too has been reported to the EA. In nearly a year of testing we have never seen anything remotely like this. Google advises that high phosphate levels is not inherently toxic, but it carries a high risk of danger due to secondary bacterial and algal contamination.

Mid month River Gipping WaterWatch Testing Data. Note the extremely high Phosphate recordings (anything over 200 is clas...
15/06/2026

Mid month River Gipping WaterWatch Testing Data. Note the extremely high Phosphate recordings (anything over 200 is classed as severe). Reported to the EA. The chart will be updated again in 2-weeks time

The River Gipping Trust’s two new (replacement) footbridges along the Creetings. Funded by a BMSDC locality grant, built...
11/06/2026

The River Gipping Trust’s two new (replacement) footbridges along the Creetings. Funded by a BMSDC locality grant, built and installed by Mortimer Contracts under the guidance of SCC PROW. Both are wheelchair friendly being wider with no steps (replacing one that had two steps up to it). Further RGT footpath improvement work by Mortimer at Stowmarket including the footbridge staircase near Muntons (funded by NWG Bluespaces) will start shortly together with the board walk along the Creeting which is also being done by Mortimer, but SCC funded. A great team effort, Working hard to make this the nicest footpath in Suffolk 😀😀😀 Mortimer Contracts Limited Discover Suffolk Mid Suffolk District Council

Despite the weather (again!) RGT volunteers trimmed and cleared the riverside footpath upstream and downstream of Claydo...
11/06/2026

Despite the weather (again!) RGT volunteers trimmed and cleared the riverside footpath upstream and downstream of Claydon. This included clearing a fallen tree across the path at Barham. Quite amazing how quickly the footpath gets overgrow. Just 4 weeks since the previous cut! Back again in 4-weeks time.

Our latest News-sheet is now available to read on our websitehttps://rivergippingtrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05...
05/06/2026

Our latest News-sheet is now available to read on our website

https://rivergippingtrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/News-sheet11-Spring26-Final.pdf

Latest River Gipping Water Testing Results. Note the extremely high Phosphate recording of 2,500 at Spikes Lane and 900s...
05/06/2026

Latest River Gipping Water Testing Results. Note the extremely high Phosphate recording of 2,500 at Spikes Lane and 900s at Baylham and Great Blakenham (anything over 200 is classed as severe). This has been reported to the Environment Agency. Also note that Spikes Lane (behind Nareys Garden Centre) and Baylham have been added to the list of testing sites. The chart will be updated again in 2-weeks time

Address

School Street
Needham Market
IP68BB

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The River Gipping Trust posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organisation

Send a message to The River Gipping Trust:

Shortcuts

Share

Category