Robert Plant Lends Voice to River Severn Conservation Effort

A rock icon has backed a campaign group’s attempts to “protect and rejuvenate” the River Severn.

During SustFest, Communities Against River Pollution (CARP) organised a ‘Remember Our River’ parade and service in Bewdley to raise awareness about river pollution. Participants dressed in river-themed attire and held fish on poles.

On Sunday (June 15), more than 250 people marched silently through town behind a magnificent casket to mourn the river’s death, which was caused by a poisonous mixture of sewage and agricultural pollutants.

Members of the local WI, Bewdley Rowing Club members, and local fisherman all participated, as did celebrity face Robert Plant, who has openly supported the cause.

Robert Plant, a CARP supporter, stated: “If you sit on the river bank, I challenge you to see a fish jumping and feeding.” We cannot stand by and watch this happen. It cannot be ignored. It’s time for everyone to work together.”

Many more people joined the parade as it approached Jubilee Gardens, spreading a good message of hope that by working together, we can make things better.

The service, led by Mel Beynon, Rector of St Anne’s Church, and accompanied by Wyre Forest Climate Choir, aimed to acknowledge the river’s current state and celebrate its potential future.

There were public displays and stalls, and family could have picnics in Jubilee Gardens or eat at The Garden Kitchen.

Dee Edwards, Chair of CARP, stated: “We must build on today. We need more volunteers to become River Stewards, who will look after a section of the river and report pollution to us. We also need people to actively participate in campaigns and write to our MP, Severn Trent, and the Environment Agency to demand change.

“This is the river that existed long before Bewdley town expanded into what it is today. It attracts tourists, walkers, anglers, and nature lovers.

“We want to preserve and revive it. CARP is a volunteer organisation, and in order to continue this essential work, we need donations to support more chemical testing kits and campaign events like this one.”

When the Stage Goes Silent: Robert Plant’s Health Scare and Jimmy Page’s Unbreakable Vigil

For more than half a century, Robert Plant has been the voice that could shake the earth. From the primal wail of “Whole Lotta Love” to the aching tenderness of “Going to California,” his voice became not just the sound of Led Zeppelin, but a force of nature itself. He was the golden-haired god of rock who seemed untouchable, striding stages around the world with the energy of a man forever young. But last night, that unshakable image cracked.

In the quiet hours of the evening, reports began filtering through London that Plant, now 76, had collapsed at his home and was rushed to a private hospital. The reason given was “severe exhaustion,” but anyone who has followed Plant’s life knows that for a man of his relentless work ethic, that phrase can carry far more weight than it seems. When you’ve spent decades giving every ounce of yourself to the music, the body eventually calls in its debts.

Witnesses say Plant arrived at the hospital under heavy care, his usually animated presence replaced by pale silence. Within hours, a familiar figure slipped through the hospital doors — Jimmy Page. The legendary guitarist, now 80, moved quickly but without fanfare, avoiding cameras and questions. It wasn’t about headlines for him. It was about being there. For Page, there was never a question of whether to come.

“They’ve been through everything together — the glory, the grief, the madness of fame,” said one insider. “This is different. This is life or death, and Jimmy’s not going to leave him alone in that room.”

Staff members have described a scene that speaks volumes about the depth of their bond. Page, seated at Plant’s bedside, gently holding his hand, speaking softly. No grand speeches. Just the kind of quiet presence that only decades of shared history can create. “It’s more than friendship — it’s brotherhood,” one nurse said, watching from the doorway. “You can tell this isn’t about nostalgia or publicity. This is someone keeping watch over a piece of his own soul.”

The image of the two rock giants, now older, greyer, and stripped of the stadium lights, is as powerful as any photograph from their youth. Back then, they conquered the world together. Now, they face the far more human battle of time.

As news broke, social media erupted in a flood of emotion. Fans from every generation posted photos, memories, and heartfelt wishes. “Two legends, one bond — we’re all rooting for you, Robert,” read one viral post, shared thousands of times. Hashtags like #PrayersForPlant and #ZeppelinForever began trending overnight. Many wrote of how Plant’s voice had been the soundtrack to their lives, carrying them through heartbreak, joy, and everything in between.

For some, the news brought back memories of other rock-and-roll moments when health scares reminded the world that even its most immortal-seeming icons are, in the end, mortal. For Led Zeppelin fans, it was impossible not to think of drummer John Bonham, whose sudden death in 1980 ended the band’s towering reign. To see Plant and Page together again, not for a reunion tour or an award show, but in a hospital room, was a sobering reminder of how precious — and fleeting — such bonds can be.

Plant’s life in recent years has been far from idle. He’s toured extensively, collaborated with musicians across genres, and continued to push boundaries rather than rest on nostalgia. That drive, the same one that built Zeppelin’s legacy, may also be what pushed him past his limits. Exhaustion may sound mild compared to the crises of rock’s wilder days, but for a man still giving 100% in his late seventies, it’s no small matter.

Friends say Plant had been working almost non-stop in the months leading up to his collapse, juggling studio work with performances. “He’s not the type to sit still,” one longtime associate said. “Even if you tell him to rest, his mind’s on the next project, the next song. That’s just Robert. But sometimes the body has other plans.”

Jimmy Page, in contrast, has kept a lower profile in recent years, making selective appearances and carefully guarding his privacy. But those who know him say his loyalty runs deep — and that when it comes to Plant, there’s nothing he wouldn’t do. Their relationship has weathered artistic clashes, long periods of silence, and the kind of intense highs and lows that only come from building a legend together. Yet at its core, there’s always been an unspoken truth: they are, and always will be, bound by something bigger than either of them.

One can imagine the conversations happening in that hospital room — or perhaps the lack of them. Sometimes, the most important things are said without words. A shared look that recalls the roar of a crowd in Madison Square Garden. The memory of long nights in the studio, chasing a sound no one had heard before. The grief of losing Bonham, the thrill of hearing a perfect take, the madness of being hailed as gods while still barely out of their twenties. All of it condensed into the simple act of one man sitting beside another, refusing to leave.

As of this morning, official updates on Plant’s condition remain limited. A spokesperson has confirmed that he is “stable and receiving the best possible care,” but urged fans to respect the family’s privacy. That hasn’t stopped an outpouring of love from pouring in, not only from fans but from fellow musicians. “Robert’s voice changed my life,” wrote one younger artist. “I hope he knows how much he’s loved.”

In a world where rock stars often seem like untouchable myths, these moments break the illusion — and in doing so, somehow make them even more extraordinary. To see Plant not as the untamed frontman, but as a man in need of care, is to be reminded that even legends need someone to hold their hand. To see Page, not as the mystical guitar wizard, but as a friend keeping vigil, is to understand what truly matters after the music fades.

Whatever the coming days bring, one thing is certain: this episode will not be remembered just for the scare, but for the image it leaves behind — of two men who once stood shoulder to shoulder before the loudest crowds in history, now side by side in the quietest of rooms. It’s a different kind of stage, but the performance is no less powerful.

And perhaps that’s the real story here. Not just that Robert Plant fell ill, or that Jimmy Page rushed to his side, but that after all the noise, all the chaos, all the decades of myth-making, what endures is something beautifully simple: loyalty, friendship, and the kind of love that doesn’t fade when the spotlight goes out.

For now, the rock world waits. The stage is silent, the lights are low, and somewhere in a London hospital room, the bond between two old friends — forged in music, tested by time — holds steady.