23/01/2006 - Environment Agency chairman Sir John Harman will visit a special youth project in St Paul’s, Bristol, this week, as part of a two-day tour of the city looking at successful community partnerships. Highlight of his visit will be a radio interview with young people from the St Paul’s Promotion Project when Sir John will discuss with youngsters how they can get involved and make a difference on environmental issues like waste and climate change. The interview will take place on Thursday (Jan 26) at the Learning Centre in St Paul’s on the youngsters’ own temporary radio station (4.45).

The group has already notched up several successes including a popular angler participation event in Eastville Park, the promotion of World Environment Day and the broadcast of an environmental ‘jingle’ written and performed by local young people.

Earlier in the day (2.30) the chairman will be shown around the Bristol Living Rivers Project, a community partnership encouraging local people to care for rivers and streams in and around the city.

One of the Project’s big successes has been its ‘Trolley Campaign’ where supermarkets whose trolleys ended up dumped in local rivers were named and shamed. It resulted in the supermarket chain, Morrisons, introducing a £1.00 coin lock system and changes to local planning policies.

On Friday (Jan 27) Sir John will accompany Environment Agency staff on a tour of the Floating Harbour where he will be shown re-development projects and discuss and range of local issues including flood risk in the city centre and water quality improvements.

The chairman will be available for media/press interviews during his two-day visit. For full details contact the South West regional Press Office on 01392 442008

* St Paul’s Youth Promotion Project was set up to work with young people in disadvantaged communities, break down barriers and promote positive role models. It also raises awareness of environmental issues among young people and provides them with new opportunities.

* The Living Rivers Project is co-funded by Bristol City Council and the Environment Agency. It aims, among other things, to transform rivers into attractive features of the city landscape and improve water quality in rivers. Its supporters also work to protect and restore existing wildlife habitats and use rivers to increase schoolchildren’s understanding of the environment.