The popular musician, actress, and Strictly Come Dancing contestant has joined the riverside charity to help inspire young people to care for the waterway. Clive Matthews, the trust's chief executive, said: "We’re immensely pleased to have Toyah on board. "Her media profile and fan base will be a major boost to our youth wing and enable us to reach out to many more young people.
" Willcox, who is out on the Avon every day she is at her Pershore home that she shares with her husband, King Crimson band member Robert Fripp, said: "I am proud to be a patron. "There are three passions in my life: music, my husband, and the River Avon, with all its history and wildlife. "This amazing river has served nature and mankind for hundreds of years.
Today it needs our nurture and protection. "It is vital that young people experience the same sense of adventure and connection to this remarkable river as I was lucky enough to have had in my youth." The ANT Squad, a youth initiative by the charity, aims to inspire new generations to enjoy and help with the upkeep of the river.
The group, consisting of 15 members and growing, meets weekly to learn new skills, including boat handling and river safety, and to volunteer at litter picks and events. Mr Matthews said: "We hope that giving them a love for the river will act as a psychological grounding for their future wellbeing and lives." Willcox joins the ranks of other distinguished patrons, including Timothy West CBE, Prunella Scales CBE, Tony .
