About Drewe Lacey
Drewe lived in the Wye Valley from 1975 until 2007 and his 6 children grew up there attending local schools and colleges. The River Wye is part of the family DNA.
During those early years, whilst directing his own business, partnerships were made with locally based Charities to provide services such as leadership and team development. Running three London Marathons, he raised over £10,000 for both local and National Charities, hospices, Cancer Research and care, and Heart disease. Trusteeships followed with the Community Foundation for Wales, Hands on London and presently as Chair of the Venture Community Hub Ltd in Gloucester and Gist Cancer UK.
Drewe is delighted to be take on the position as District Governor in 2024/5 for Rotary District 1100 (an area stretching from North Somerset to Worcester and from the Wye Valley to Swindon with 60 Clubs and 1400 Rotarians) and to initiate a new Project, ‘The Source of Life’ which focuses on the Wye Valley Walk some 140 miles from Plynlimmon to Chepstow. In his District there are 7 Rotary Clubs along the Wye and in two neighbouring Districts a further two all of which will participate in the Project.
After a serious operation in 2023 Drewe was diagnosed with a rare form of Sarcoma Cancer, Gist, which has inspired him to do the entire Wye Valley Walk, and to launch this as a Rotary led project to raise funds for the Wye Environment and Gist Cancer.
About Our Causes
In 2023 the Environment Agency recognized that urgent action was required to improve water quality and the unique ecology of the River Wye. The actions required include a reduction of nutrients, including phosphorus, flowing into the river, and reduction in water temperature by improved water management and planting trees. A significant source of nutrient is from run off from over intensive farming practices, for example using chicken manure, the Valley contains around 50% of all chickens produced in the UK.
Citizen science and volunteering initiatives have been instrumental in raising the political profile of the environmental damage to the Wye and forcing the Regulators to implement regulations intended to control pollution, and starting the process for the agriculture sector to accept its role in jeopardising the ecology of one of the most beautiful rivers in the UK.
Not surprising then in the fund raising campaign launched as the Source of Life is an application of 50% of monies raised to environmental initiatives targeted to mitigate the pollution of the river. ‘Partnerships’ have therefore been formed with The Friends of the River Wye and River Action UK who will be in part recipients of those funds.
Given Drewe’s personal story as a Cancer patient which inspired him to create this Project and become a Trustee of Gist Cancer UK, 50% of the monies raised will support their work in supporting patients some with incurable forms of Gist and to drive further research.
Drewe’s September 2024 Expedition
Drewe and his daughter Harriet will be embarking on an expedition to complete the entirety of the Wye Valley Walk across 10 days in September. Starting at the source on Plynlimon on the 11th of September, they will finish at the mouth in Chepstow on the 21st. They will be joined by friends and family who will be walking various legs of the route with them, and welcome anyone who would like to join them.