We’re hosting a ‘Dirty Business’ Q&A to launch the Big Give!
On Thursday 23rd April 2026, the ECP will be kick-starting the Big Give campaign week by hosting a Q&A launch event with the stars behind the shocking channel 4 documentary drama series – ‘Dirty Business’.
Ashley Smith and Peter Hammond, founders of Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (WASP), have brought to light a nationwide environmental scandal through the making of ‘Dirty Business’, which follows their decade-long investigation into river pollution and illegal sewage dumping. Perplexed by the murky waters and lack of wildlife in their local river Windrush, Ash and Peter began to slowly uncovering a series of systematic failures that had led to large quantities of untreated sewage being spilled into rivers and coastal waters on repeated occasions.
Aired on 23rd February 2026, the 3-part docuseries has caused outrage from the public about the failures of British water companies to keep our rivers clean and safe. Not only does the pollution make it impossible for wildlife to thrive, but it also means we cannot enjoy our rivers without the risk of getting seriously ill. Besides that, it’s disgusting.
Our Event
The ECP have chosen to make this year’s Big Give launch event all about getting to the bottom of this shocking documentary and giving people a chance to ask questions to the members of WASP themselves. We want to facilitate a discussion where everyone can get involved – river catchment representatives, MPs, landowners, charity workers, volunteers and residents are all welcome! It is vital that we all stand up for nature and fight to get our rivers back to they way they’re supposed to be – healthy, clean, and teaming with wildlife.
The evening will also include a reading from Oxfordshire Author Craig Taylor, who recently released his new novel ‘Floaters’. The book follows the story of a small group of school-leavers and their ex-headmaster, who take direct action protesting against sewage pollution in their favourite wild swimming spot on the Thames. This light-hearted tale exploring youth activism perfectly depicts the real-world environmental threats that we’re facing today, and is an excellent read for anyone interested in the topic.
Big Give Earth Raise
The ECP is taking part in the Big Give’s Earth Raise from 22nd-29th April 2026. Earth Raise is a 7-day online match funding campaign designed by Big Give to support charities that are tackling pressing environmental issues. (Previous known as the Green Match Fund!).
This April, we hope to raise £20k for the ECP so that we can continue our work in bringing the river back to good ecological status and restore the Evenlode catchment for people and wildlife. We already have £10k pledged in match funding, but we will only receive this if we can raise another £10k while the Big Give is live!
You’ll be able to donate to the ECP through Wild Oxfordshire’s campaign page while the Big Give’s Earth Raise is live. During the launch event, we will have an easy access QR code so that you can donate straight to our campaign. The event is free, but spaces are limited, so make sure to get your tickets on our Eventbrite page. We hope to see you there!
