Chris, Nigel and Jane have submitted two bids to Natural England for support to create farmer groups in priority local areas, the catchment of the Blithfield Reservoir near Uttoxeter and the Lonco Brook catchment near Newport, Shropshire. If we are successful with the bids group members can gain extra points for Countryside Stewardship applications that are aligned with biodiversity and water quality objectives in the catchments. They will also be able to access training on relevant topics, as decided by the farmers themselves since both groups will be farmer-led.
Severn Trent Water and South Staffordshire Water have supported the bids and are keen to work more closely with farmers in these designated Drinking Water Safeguard Zones.