River Rubbish to Ecological Art

River Rubbish to Ecological Art

Lizzie Elliott

I’m Lizzie, a part-time Food Security MSc student. As a Christian, my belief that God created and values the world and everyone in it drives my desire for greater justice and sustainability, which I hope can be seen throughout my academic work.

About the Project

The river Sherbourne flows through and underneath the city of Coventry. Although just over 18km long, this little river was central to Coventry’s development: it influenced the location choice St Osberga’s 8 th Century monastery, around which the city grew, and helped power Coventry’s famous textile industry. The Sherbourne remains key to Coventry’s cultural identity, becoming a central theme for the opening celebration for Coventry’s year as city of culture in 2021. It still provides vital wildlife habitat and cultural ecosystem services for the city.

Issues of river pollution in Coventry date back to at least the medieval period and persist today. Litter is a particularly visible form of river pollution, which can harm wildlife and reduce the wellbeing benefits of natural spaces to people. In April 2025, I participated in river clean-ups independently and with the Sherbourne Valley Project, a conservation and community project working to restore the river Sherbourne and connect local people with the river. I used a little of the collected rubbish to create five sculptures, each representing a different animal which has been found in an around the River Sherbourne. By using river rubbish as a material, I intend to draw attention to the problem of river pollution, especially litter, and challenge attitudes which permit littering. By depicting wildlife already found locally, I intend to celebrate the beauty and resilience of nature, and the success of recent clean-up and restoration efforts.