Oaks and Water
(Because sometimes these are the two most important elements of Sherborne's history, and natural history - they are a theme which runs across the millenia)
Some good news this week, and one piece of decidedly bad news. Let us start with the good.
Ancestor Oaks: A Milestone Reached
We have now planted one oak sapling for every name on the village war memorial — seventeen trees, growing quietly across the parish. Each one connects us, roots and all, to a young man from Sherborne who did not come home. "Lest we forget"
In coming weeks, I plan to produce a simple annotated map showing where each tree stands, with the name of the fallen soldier it commemorates and a brief note about his life.
In the summer, we will hold a small ceremony at each tree to fix brass name-tags in place. I hope many of you will join in — it need not be solemn; I think these men would have preferred something cheerful. Details to follow in due course.
We also have good news on the remaining saplings. Today, one went to the village school, to mark the retirement of the headmaster. A fitting home, especially given the schools History of planting the oaks at Century Wood, 125 years ago . And I believe I have now found homes within the parish for all the remaining oaks, which we'll plant next winter — details to follow as arrangements are confirmed.
Here's a pic of one of the saplings planted by Phil behind and in sight of Sherborne House in the name of a young man who worked on the house as a roofer. Thanks to Sherborne House for taking three saplings which can be seen from the public footpath.
Thames Water: Delays, Deflections and Disappointment
Now for the less welcome news. On Tuesday, Andrew Woolley and I attended the Windrush Catchment Partnership meeting, where we were given fifteen minutes to raise our concerns about storm sewage discharges from the Bourton-on-the-Water treatment works into the Windrush. Our case received broad support from across the Partnership, for which we are grateful.
Thames Water did not attend. They are members of the Partnership and have four community liaison officers. Their absence was disappointing, and I will leave readers to draw their own conclusions.
We raised a number of detailed concerns: the repeatedly delayed upgrade to the treatment works; the promised 50% reduction in discharges that was expected in 2024 and shows little sign of materialising; and anomalous monitoring readings that require explanation. We also formally requested that a Thames Water engineer attend our next meeting to answer technical questions directly.
After the meeting, with assistance from the Cotswold Rivers Trust, we received some brief responses to our queries.
The most significant concerned the upgrade itself. In 2021, Thames Water promised completion by 2023. That deadline slipped to 2024, then 2025, then 2026. This morning they confirmed the works will not now be complete until 2027. That is a four-year delay, with no credible explanation offered. Given that every previous deadline has been missed, readers may reasonably question whether 2027 will prove any more reliable. Just about every other upgrade to sewage treatment facilities across the catchment face similar or worse delays.
On the question of the 50% reduction in discharges — expected following sealing works to the Bourton sewage system — Thames Water gave no clear answer. We will return to this in coming weeks.
The River Windrush deserves better, and you as payers of water bills to Thames Water have a right to assume your sewage will be treated as you pay for it to be treated. We will not let the matter rest. I will be formally reporting a couple of matters to the Environment Agency in coming days.
Here's a pic of the Bourton STW, where your poo is "sometimes" processed:
