Dear community: water with our head, hands & heart

The UK is home to 85% of the world’s 260 chalk streams. Our river basin, the Cam Valley, is home a vast network of these extraordinary rivers. These rare and magical bodies of water support an incredible collection of species – from damselflies to otters to trout – and us humans! Across history, the waters around Cambridge have been sites of pilgrimage, healing, enjoyment, and community.

But our watercourses are in crisis, facing drought, pollution, run-off, sewage dumping, over-abstraction, and beyond. As the rivers lose flow and depth and struggle through algal blooms, these stresses echo across the ecosystem. Insects cannot reproduce, fish and birds have less food, and the waters become dangerous for bathing. It is clear that something must be done.

But our usual ways of thinking, talking about, and being with water do not seem to be working. We need to reconsider our relations with and around nature – and especially water.

These gatherings aim to do just that by engaging heads, hearts, and hands across our whole community.

We invite everyone from the local area and those interested in Cam Valley’s rivers and streams to join us for an exciting series of activities. There will be river walks, interactive water workshops, roundtables, film screenings, and plenty of time for tea and conversation along local bodies of water.

Activities will centre around Cambridge United Layard Lounge (Cambridge United Layard Lounge, Cutthroat Lane, off Newmarket Road CB5 8LN). All are welcome! You can join at any point for any portion of the event.

We hope these events will raise awareness, understanding, and engagement with local water issues.

There will be a second event on 14 March 2025.

Host or Publisher CRASSH