The March for Clean Water: We were there

By Kerry Williams

Communications Officer - Conservation 

On Sunday 3 November, 15,000 people and 130 organisations joined together for a common purpose; to protest the disgraceful state of our rivers and seas, and demand action be taken by the UK government and water companies to clean them up.

Sussex Wildlife Trust was there. As we approached Albert Embankment, the sound of faint drums getting louder, the excitement in the crowd grew, the air of change palpable.

And what a crowd. Comprising of a diverse bunch, the vibe was both indignant yet positive. There were surfers with boards, anglers with fishing rods, birders, swimmers, NGOs, CEOs, a big old whale and Poseidon himself. All in blue, zinger emblazoned placards held aloft, chanting, laughing, singing; a river of hope.

We marched along the banks of the sewage-battered Thames to Westminster, gathering under Big Ben to make a big point. Here, at the rally, we heard from a range of speakers with connections to water. Doctor and Olympian rower, Imogen Grant, spoke of peers getting sick from just proximity to UK waters. Chief Executive of the WI, Melissa Green, recalled how the organisation has spent no less than 97 years campaigning about dirty water; the WI members in the crowd were so raucous they made me want to sign up. Singer Johnny Flynn performed a rendition of his tranquil ode, ‘The Water’; a fitting soundtrack to such a peaceful demonstration.

Watching a group of young people speak, introduced by Wildlife Trusts' President Liz Bonnin, was pure joy. However, alongside their eloquence, confidence in addressing the crowd, and passion for the natural world, these speeches were tinged with sadness. As a friend pointed out, they shouldn’t have to worry about this stuff.

After several more representatives rousing calls to action, wildlife icon Chris Packham took to the stage, a Peregrine circling parliament on cue. Continuing the stream of creativity, Packham recited a poem penned for the event, followed by a stirring speech on the purpose of our attendance. “We want clean water, and we want it now”.