by Cllr Robert MacNaughton
The recent oil spillage into the Abberd Brook shocked a lot of us in the town. It was described as being ‘criminal’ by Tamzyn Long in one of her initial River Warriors posts. The oil was collected down near Doctor’s Pond by the booms that the contractors for Wessex Water had put out. Why does somebody, possibly in a garage, think they can pour so much oil down a drain somewhere near the brook? And where do they think drain water goes; into our waterways of course! Surely we all know this … or not?
The oil polluters of the brook are not alone unfortunately. Wessex Water pour poo into our rivers, with the permission of the government, and the run off from farms pollute them even further. Why do we neglect our waterways so recklessly - our waterways are living beings after all!
Fortunately, increasing numbers of people in the town do care about Calne’s waterways.
A couple of weeks ago a group of us waded along the Marden at the Wharf to pick out the bottles and hub caps and tins and bicycles that people had thrown in over the past few months. Cath Crofts, leader of the Clean Up Crew, and her husband were out along the Marden collecting litter a few days ago. The Marden next to the Co op was also cleaned by the River Warriors recently.
The Friends of the Marden Valley are holding their Spring Equinox Festival on Saturday March 18th in Castlefields Park and Marden House. It starts at 11am. There will be lots of activities for children in the park, as well as a River Blessing by the Bishop of Ramsbury, a performance by the Japanese Taiko drummers from Yatesbury, a Shamanic blessing of the River celebrating the Equinox, and the Town Mayor will be unveiling a new ish information board.
Tamzyn Long will be hosting children’s activities in Marden House, and CARP will be organising a treasure hunt in the Park for children of all ages.
Marden House will also be hosting stands on the pollinators that need our help, on the dangers of the pollution that goes down our drains, on the work CARP are doing, on our next exciting project to install floating islands in the Wharf, and on the work Sus Calne are doing.
There are a lot of people in Calne doing good work for our waterways thankfully.
Please come if you can.
