Organised by WWF Northern Ireland and the Ballinderry Fish Hatchery, the RIPPLE scheme (Rivers Involving People, Places and Leading by Example) will bring together locals and community groups from areas around the river, including Ardboe, Ballinderry, Coagh, Cookstown, Moneymore and Rock, and help them to rediscover the Ballinderry River as it is today, and to encourage them to shape it for the future.

Joe Mahon, of UTV's Lesser Spotted Ulster, will be taking a few people on a jaunt down memory lane as he hosts a 'From bank side to fireside' chat. They will be reminiscing about the Banshee rock, the river at work and the fires and floods at Coagh Bridge. A local poet and a singer-songwriter will also be performing works inspired by the river.

"Traditionally the Cookstown area relied heavily on the river for food and for work, particularly in the heyday of the linen industry. But today we seem to have turned our back to the river as a valuable local resource. Through RIPPLE, we'd like to turn that around and put the Ballinderry River back at the heart of the community," said Mark Horton, RIPPLE project co-ordinator, Ballinderry Fish Hatchery.

Inspiring people about the river will be an ongoing part of this project. A web site has been developed where you can read and listen to what's happening on the river this month. This will also include suggestions of places of interest and suggested visits along the river. www.wwf.org.uk/ripple

"This event isn't all about memories – it's also about looking forward to see what condition the Ballinderry River will be in ten or twenty years time. In order to protect the river for the future and ensure it meets the needs of those who live, work and play in and near it, we need community engagement. It is essential that local people make the decisions for their local river environment, identifying needs, pinpointing problems and coming up with solutions," said Alex McGarel, freshwater policy officer, WWF Northern Ireland.