Sign up for training in water sampling, so that we can begin to baseline our agri-nutrient contribution to the Upper Deben.

This will be the start of our own data collection, which we cannot get from any of the other testing that is currently happening on the river by the Environment Agency, Anglian Water or Deben Climate Centre.

The results of our testing will be confidential and for our use only in proving the starting point from which we attempt to improve water quality on the Deben, through any projects that we undertake that will have a beneficial impact on water quality. This may, in the future, enable Upper Deben land managers to gain an income from water quality improvements. If we have cause to use the data, for example to apply for funding, we will protect the anonymity of our sampling locations.

We have been awarded a £2500 grant from Tim White's Countrywide Foundation to pay for hand held water testing equipment and have now purchased two multiparameter photometer kits to be used by our members.

The training will be led by Lizzy Emmett, formerly the facilitator of Wensum Farm Cluster in Norfolk, who have tested their water extensively in recent years. Lizzy now works for Swallowtail Consulting and has vast knowledge of on farm monitoring methods. Lizzy will also advise us on how to set up our programme so that it serves our purposes adequately.

I'm now looking for the following two things:

1. Volunteer water testers. We need volunteers who can commit to testing and recording results for as little as 1 day per year. To avoid having to pass the kit around too much we are planning to organise a rota where each volunteer will visit multiple sites to test on their volunteering day.

2. Volunteer your land to be a testing site. We are aiming to identify ditches and culverts with only agricultural sources feeding them (nothing coming from water treatment plants, septic tanks and with as little road runoff as possible).

Volunteer Sign-up - for water testers and test site land.