The River Path The River Path
The Water Market
Common Ground devised the first ever Water Market, a national gathering for producers who are integrally involved with water, and for water - saving technologies and found an enthusiastic partner in Adam Hunt, the busy LA21 officer of North Dorset District Council. It was held in Blandford Forum on August 18th 2000, and was followed by a concert of Pipeworks in the Corn Exchange.
The intention was to draw together a serious array of people, producers and manufacturers whose trades are inextricably linked with water, or who produce devices to aid water conservation, in a street market which also made links with the river Stour. We felt that using a traditional market place with stalls and everything associated with them would not only invigorate the square in a new but easily understood way, but also give us the chance to bring together all kinds of producers and products, jostling as in the souk or bazaar.
Holding fast to the idea - water, how we use it, what we grow in it and how we can take more care of it, began to offer exciting possibilities. So a new kind of market evolved in our minds: focussing on water, food from the river, water power, river and water conservation - we sought to bring together groups, people and issues that never normally would come together, to help people to see how they could conserve water in their own homes and gardens, buy the appropriate appliances and food grown with the health of both people and the river in mind - all the things a market has traditionally done well. Technological advances are being made all the time, the Water Market should give professionals, householders and gardeners the chance to see them and discuss them.
We had begun long before to complete a list of the best producers from the Stour Catchment, nearby valleys and from across England. Best for us means people producing high quality goods, with care for the environment, and we searched widely for complementary participation demonstrating the best of the local and the best beyond (and to remind people that the best can often be local). For food producers our priority was to involve those who either used the water from the river or energy from it. We wanted top quality produce, naturally won and organically produced if possible.
Liaising with the stallholders took up much of our time. Many of the firms we contacted were small producers and couldn't take a week day off. A weekend would have been preferable for some of them. Some companies just could not afford the time - we sympathised, it is often difficult for us as a small charity to spare a person to talk or be present at events.
Blandford Library put up our displays about Confluence and the ideas behind the Water Market and organised an activity day for 6-8 year olds on the day before the event. A member of the Environment Agency read excerpts from The Wind in the Willows and the children made masks of dragonflies and talked about the river.
A range of bottled waters was donated by spring water retailers for people to sample at the market. The Natural Mineral Water Information Service (sponsored by leading suppliers) let us have a useful brochure to give away.
We also wanted to let Blandford people know exactly where their water came from and what it contained - its analysis. Wessex Water were very helpful in supplying the information we needed and we made a special label for the town's tap water.
We provided a range of activities to ensure that a family visiting The Water Market had something for all age ranges and interests, and which linked with the river. Riverside and wild life walks were provided by the North Dorset Rangers and the Environment Agency; the Stour Valley Canoe Club gave canoe lessons; Blandford Civic Society gave town walks based on river and water connections - bridges, wells, gutters, sewers, pipes etc; Hall & Woodhouse, the town brewery, gave brewery tours; the Leisure Centre manager arranged for free swimming lessons at the local swimming pool. During the day, local musicians busked appropriate rivery / water songs.
It is impossible to estimate how many people came. From friends and aquaintances in Shaftesbury we heard lots of apologies - people didn't turn out because of the rain. It was appalling weather. It turned out to be the wettest day in the wettest year since records began 300 years ago! Various roads across the south west, including the Southampton motorway, were closed for part of the day because of the heavy rain. One of the stallholders helpers reported almost turning back near Yeovil because of the difficult road conditions and crashes along the way. That said, the intrepid were not to be discouraged - some of those who did come, who had heard 'Open Country' or read about it in the national press, came from long distances - Shropshire, Huddersfield, Hereford, Kent, Sussex.
There were a lot of people, and they kept coming all day. One stallholder inside had to give people appointments to discuss water purifiers, something they have never had to do even at the biggest shows. The watercress grower who on a good day at a Farmers' Market might sell 6 boxes, sold 35. The smoked eel seller too, had to send for reinforcements.... Ironically the canoeing suffered most from the weather, and yet Peter Carter of the Stour Valley Canoe Club, who had taken a day from work to run this, well used to getting wet, remained buoyant.
We were quickly approached by people from across the country, including Norfolk, Suffolk and Huddersfield, to help them reinvent The Water Market for their place. The members of the Institute of Plumbers were so impressed with Pipeworks that they invited them to play at their annual conference. Another Water Market was held on the River Parrett in Somerset, and Winchester in Hampshire held its first of what is hoped will become an annual Water Festival in August 2003. Here you can read more about Hampshire Water Festival and similar events in subsequent years
The synergy was palpable - it really worked to bring disparate people into the same place closely around the focus of water, it did add up to much more.
BBC Radio 4's Food Programme produced a half-hour broadcast dedicated to the Water Market, part of a series exploring uses of water across the world.
The Water Market has been included in A Sustainable Future for the South West. It is mentioned in the section on Natural Resources as an example of raising awareness of water use and conservation. Copies of the report can be obtained from: Sustainability South West, 4th Floor, 100 Temple Street, Bristol BS1 6AE (+44(0)117 933 0249)
