Waterlight was enjoyed by an enthusiastic audience of about 50 people at the end of a full-day workshop on aspects of water held in Cambridge on Wednesday 23rd October 2024. ‘Dear Community – Water With Our Head, Hands and Heart‘ was organised by Water Sensitive Cambridge, Cambridge Interfaith Programme and CRASSH (Centre for Research in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences). The event was held at the Cambridge United Football team ground on Newmarket Road.
Bruce Huett (right) and James Murray-White (centre) at the Dear Community: Water with our head, hands and heart screening of ‘Waterlight’. Photograph: Water Sensitive CambridgeWaterlight project team member Bruce Huett introduced Waterlight (in his capacity as secretary for Cam Vally Forum) after a short film of Clare Crossman explaining her reasons for writing the poems which inspired the film.
After the showing, Bruce chaired a discussion with James Murray-White, Nigel and Christine Kinnings and Tony Eva (who recently made another film about chalk streams: Pure Clean Water). The discussion covered biodiversity, problems of abstraction and development, depletion of the acquifer, water company activities and responsibilities and the roles that communities can play in ensuring that chalk streams are protected.
The day had also included a walk along the local chalk stream Coldhams Brook, where the local community – assisted by Rob Mungovan (who appears in Waterlight) – were working to restore this brook in a similar manner to the work on the Mel shown in Waterlight. This was led by local ecologist Kevin Hand, who has set up the Newmarket Chalk Stream Trust.
James has recently produced a new chalk stream film featuring a stream in Newmarket: Rivers Of Light will be premiered on 7th December at at the Cinema at Newmarket / The Stable in Newmarket.
Watch out for other Waterlight screenings and related events at our Upcoming Events page.