Emmerdale’s Head of production who was in top Harrogate indie band returns to help restore river
A former Harrogate musician who is now Emmerdale’s Head of production has returned to his home patch to support the work of the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust.
Nader Mabadi, Senior Production Manager at ITV Studios, led cast and crew from the famous soap opera in a very hands-on day in the Washburn Valley where they learned about what’s involved in protecting rivers.
As the leader of Emmerdale’s Green Team, Nader is committed to ensuring that the long-running show incorporates sustainability messaging into every episode through story lines and green behaviours.
Twenty years ago, Nader was a key member of Harrogate indie rock band, contributing some exceptional songs and guitar work to a popular outfit which also included Liam Gray (vocals), Matt Ramsden (bass) and Jonathan Dawson (drums).
Formed in Harrogate in 2002, IV Play rose to prominence with success in a battle of the bands contest at Carringtons and soon grew an enthusiastic fanbase.
They even picked up a celebrity fan in Mark Owen of Take That who took them under his wing.
Despite their initial success, a move to London ultimately failed to do the trick and the band disbanded in 2005.
The visit to Timble Beck saw the Emmerdale team learn from the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust about river health and restoration through getting directly involved in improving the banks of Timble Gill Beck and the River Washburn, catchment sources for Swinsty Reservoir near Harrogate.
Nader said: said: “It was a great opportunity to learn more about environmentalism and conservation though engaging in a hands-on way.
"We hope the team will take back what it learnt to feed into scripts and augment stories with environmental messages."
Emmerdale’s Green Team comprises one person from each department, including wardrobe, costume, makeup, pre-production, location, sound and cast and is part of the ITV network’s commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.
Originating high in the Yorkshire Dales, the River Washburn runs through the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty before ending where it meets the River Wharfe.
The river is infected with Himalayan balsam, an invasive non-native species.
More information: https://www.ydrt.org.uk/