Clean River Action- Who We Are
Clean River Action began with a simple refusal to look away.
What started as one person documenting sewage spills, dead stretches of water and silent regulators has grown into a community‑powered movement determined to protect the River Soar and every tributary that feeds it. Today, our work is driven by evidence, transparency and collective action, because when people see the truth about their rivers, they stand up for them.
Our Mission
To expose pollution, demand accountability, and empower communities with the knowledge, confidence and tools to defend their waterways.
We’re here to make sure every resident in Leicester and Leicestershire can see, clearly and transparently, what’s happening to their rivers, and what can be done to restore them.
What Drives Us
• Forensic data analysis that shines a light on sewage spills, agricultural runoff and regulatory failure.
• Public transparency so communities can hold polluters to account.
• Campaigning and advocacy that pushes water companies, regulators and MPs to meet their legal duties.
• Citizen science that turns local volunteers into river guardians.
• Community action through river walks, meetings, training sessions and hands‑on activities.
• Education and outreach for families, schools, residents and volunteers.
Why It Matters
The River Soar and its tributaries are the lifeblood of our region. They shape our landscapes, support wildlife, and connect our communities. When they’re polluted, we all feel it, in lost biodiversity, unsafe water, and the erosion of natural spaces we depend on.
Clean River Action exists to reverse that decline, we’re here to protect what’s precious, restore what’s damaged, and build a future where our rivers run clear again.
Our Principles
• Evidence first.
• Transparency always.
• Community at the core.
• Action over words.
• Rivers for future generations.
Join the Movement
If you have time, energy, curiosity or passion, you belong here. Whether you want to test water quality, help analyse data, support campaigns, join river walks or simply learn more, your contribution strengthens the whole community.
Clean rivers don’t happen by accident, they happen because people decide to stand up for them.
Become part of that change.
Meet The Founder- Sarah Cobley
Clean River Action began as a refusal a refusal to accept polluted rivers, silent regulators, and communities left in the dark. For Sarah Cobley, the River Soar wasn’t just a place to walk; it was a frontline. Every sewage dump before and after rainfall, every dead stretch of water, every unreported outfall was a sign that something was deeply wrong.
Sarah had spent years in communications, helping others tell their stories, but the river was telling her one, a story of neglect, secrecy, and systems that were failing the very landscapes they were meant to protect. She realised that waiting for someone else to fix it wasn’t an option. Accountability wasn’t going to appear on its own and evidence wasn’t going to gather itself, so she stepped forward.
Clean River Action grew from that decision, if no one was going to expose what was happening, she would. If no one was going to empower communities with clear, accessible data, she would. If no one was going to challenge water companies, regulators and decision‑makers to meet their legal duties, she would.
Today, Sarah leads Clean River Action with boots on the riverbank and evidence in hand. She maps outfalls, analyses water‑quality data, trains citizen scientists, and pushes institutions to answer for the damage done to local waterways. Her belief is unwavering, when communities see the truth, they become impossible to ignore.
Clean River Action is still growing, and Sarah is building a movement determined to protect the rivers that shape Leicester and Leicestershire.
The story started with one person refusing to look away and now it belongs to everyone ready to stand up and demand better.
Ready to join us?
We want this to be a community led project, so if you have some spare time and want to help, then drop us a note. We would love to hear from you.