Save Our Swale

At this month’s meeting we were joined as speakers by 3 representatives of Save Our Swale (SOS). They came to address the meeting about their campaign against pollution in the River Swale.  Brian Benson spoke about the poor history of water supply and sewage disposal regulation, in particular since the privatisation of the multiplicity of Water Companies under the Conservative Government in 1989 into a few large regional monopolies.  Nationally, management since then has resulted in massive dividend payments to the small number of shareholders, build-up of billions of pounds in debts, increasing charges and – most critical – ongoing underinvestment in the infrastructure.  This has resulted in leaks of 2-3bn litres of water a day, and chronic release of untreated sewage into our rivers.  Together with chemical run off and spills from farms this means widespread river pollution.

SOS is one of over 100 local groups campaigning about river pollution. Celine Barry described the actions they are taking.  They have applied for a stretch of the Swale in Richmond to be granted Designated Bathing Water Status (DBWS) as a means to force The Environment Agency to monitor water quality.  This has been a lengthy process, so for the last 2 years SOS has carried out its own monthly water quality monitoring which it reports to Yorkshire Water as part of campaign to hold the Government and Yorkshire Water to account.  They have widespread support from the County Council, our MP, and local businesses and landowners.  They use press and media and public meetings to raise awareness and pressure Yorkshire Water and – in coordination with the national Sewage Campaign Network – lobby for water and sewage services to be returned to not-for-profit public ownership.

Microbiologist Keith Thomas described the various means by which they monitor water quality.  Samples are taken at 7 locations from Wainwith to Brompton on Swale using a variety of test equipment to measure levels of bacteria, chemicals and invertebrates, plus observation of sewage plant overflows after rain. Despite reporting frequent high levels of pollution below the Richmond Sewage plant outfall and at Brompton on Swale below the Skeeby Beck junction, they have so far been unable to force Yorkshire Water to remedy the situation.  It is very difficult to prove that sickness is related to river contact, as the cause is unlikely to be reported medically.  However, one Richmond student who drank a pint of Swale water for a bet suffered a clostridium infection!

They are continuing to pursue their application for DBWS, monitoring and lobbying, in the hope that the Government will take notice of this national problem.  We wish them well with this important work.

Recent & Upcoming Activities

• Babs Hunt and Lin Ryan represented the Club at the Mayor’s Civic Dinner
• Jan Beeton will lay a wreath on our behalf at the War Memorial on Remembrance Day
• Babs and her husband (and guide dog puppy Iris!) will attend the Civic Service at St Mary’s Church as our representatives.
• Lin Ryan will attend the annual prize giving at Risedale School on 22nd October where the Soroptimist Cup for Making a Difference will be presented, and new member Lindsay represented us at the Prize Giving at Richmond School.

Programme Action

PA Officer Wendy Arrowsmith circulated the Yorkshire Region President’s Special Award for PA. This was awarded to us for our Tote Bags for Children in Care Project at last month’s Regional Conference.

We were pleased to note that the club continue to be trailblazers for PA in the Region, as two other awards related to Sharing Our Skills projects.  Regional Conference attendees brought donations for Smartworks, and took packs of Tote Bag fabric to make up. The Northern Region President had not been aware of EVA Women’s Aid, which we and Scarborough & Malton support, and intends to bring it up in her Region.

Volunteers signed up to assist at our upcoming Coffee Morning taking place on Saturday 8th November at Richmond Town Hall, for which members will be donating items for the tombola, raffle, cake and books & DVD stalls.

Membership Office Sue Eastham was pleased to see that 3 of our new members have been part of the group planning our Bingo Night fundraiser.  A total of 76 tickets have been sold for this event.

Yorkshire Region

Regional President Judith (who is one of our members) thanked the club for its support at the recent RCM at Scotch Corner, and also thanked Chris Bowran for designing her Presidential Logo (which is attracting favourable attention).  She is looking forward to the November meeting, which is her first as sole President instead of Joint President. The club wishes Judith well in her Presidential year.

Judith also encouraged any members who can to take part in the Train Safety Awareness Day being held on 4th December.  She would like as many people as possible to meet at York Station at 11:15 where she hopes to have a press and media presence.  Members from across the Region will be travelling to meet at this time, before continuing on from York to Scarborough.

UN Campaign about Violence Against Women

We were delighted to hear that last year’s Richmond School students on the Sharing Our Skills project are running their own project around the 16 Days of Activism against Violence Against Women. They have obtained permission to publicise this on the TV displays around the school.

The club held another Orange Café at the Swimming Pool café to mark this campaign.  Members were encouraged to use the café generally. It is run by a Ukrainian refugee couple, who are very welcoming.  This is particularly important while the pool itself remains closed for repairs.

Tote Bags for Children going into Care

Small team came together at Jenny’s this month to cut out and organise packs of fabric with sewing instructions for making Tote Bags. We pass bags to North Yorkshire Voice, who give them to children going into care to carry their personal belongings.   This was so that packs could be distributed at November’s RCM for other clubs to produce bags for equivalent uses in their areas.  More than 30 packs were made up.  About a dozen packs were given out at the previous RCM.

Bingo Night Fundraiser