River Deben Association Announces New Chair

River Deben Association Announces New Chair

The River Deben Association has announced that Joeske VanWalsum takes over as acting Chair with immediate effect (pending formal appointment at the next AGM). The previous Chair, Sarah Zins, will stay on as Vice Chair.

The River Deben Association has been going for 30 years and is a strong local interest group whose aim is to protect and conserve the character, beauty and environment of the River Deben. RDA is a lobbying and pressure group rep resenting river users. Anyone can join as a member and the substantial membership is growing.

Joeske Van Walsum said: “It is with great pleasure that I take on this position. I am a relatively new resident of Woodbridge (my wife Rachel and I moved here in August 2018 with our 12 year old son Hans ) and I want to make a contribution to the community.

“In some ways it is a grim time but perhaps it is also a time when people try to find some meaning in life and appreciate more than ever the wonderful environment with which we are blessed. I for one, could hardly manage
without my daily dose of walking along the wonderful River Deben!

“I have been a keen canoeist since the age of 12 and make regular family outings on the Deben and other Suffolk rivers. A canoe is perhaps the quietest and most peaceful way of being on the water, Sailing is also in the family and in 2010 we made an eight month journey from Putney to Istanbul, via the inland waterways including almost the
whole of the River Danube (2000 km of it).

“We need more members to make our ‘voice’ stronger. Currently we have 820 which is 3.5% of the population of the parishes neighbouring the river. That is quite substantial, but I am targeting 10% i.e. around 2500!”

For further information please visit the River Deben Association website.

All articles on this news site are submitted by registered contributors of SuffolkWire. Find out how to subscribe and submit your stories here »