What a great month we just had!

A fantastic day in Chalfont St Giles on Wednesday 15th September and continued on Saturday18th re-discovering the river after our lockdown hiatus, and getting it running again all the way from Pheasant Hill to the end of Silsden Meadow. On the Wednesday, our team was mainly new friends from PerkinElmer – a company based in Seer Green doing their Community Day. Many thanks to them for all their hard work and enthusiasm which enabled us to make so much progress in one day. Thanks also to the Chalfont St Giles Council workers who removed thirty five 1cu.m. bags of arisings we left by the riverside walk.

TCV – The Chiltern Volunteers – “Green Gym” have begun to follow up on the above with some attention to the bankside along the walk

Also in St Giles, we learned that the attractive bridge over the river will soon be renovated

Several new volunteers, including some undertaking ad hoc initiatives of their own, joined in starting to clear the watercourse at St Peter’s, where the last springs by the tennis courts have just dried up for the year

Excellent publicity regarding the risks of HS2 through the group Misbourne Environmental Protection, Bucks County Council, The Chiltern Society and others

Received £500 Community Donation from Waitrose in Gerrards Cross. We’ll use part towards new tools but mainly to the fund for a new public information board(s) describing the Misbourne and its idiosyncrasies

Latest groiundwater levels, thanks as ever to Dave Anderson, are plotted on our website Quickview Figures page. The broad picture being that, going into the recharge period, October levels are well above the average of the past 30 years record but short of being highest ever. Given the work done recently, and with plans for the authorities to clear under Pheasant Hill bridge, it seems certain that flow will continue through St Giles well into next year……. but can we get it to join up with flow at St Peter??

During October, building on the good work lately, we’ll be carrying on from the end of Silsden Meadow into the “sheepfield”, working with the landowner, and, separately, also aiming to complete the stretch from St Peter tennis courts all the way through to Chiltern Hill. We will have work parties on Wednesday 13th and Saturday 16th, mornings and afternoons. If you can join us for any of these – even for an hour or so – please let me know and I’ll be in touch with more details. Please make sure I have your shoe size for waders.

I’m sure that some of our new small ad hoc groups may also be wishing to get out in Chalfont St Peter in the month on days and at times to suit themselves. If you would like to link up with them, please let me know. I will try and keep info posted on our Facebook page. We have also started a WhatsApp group – specifically for people to invite others to join them when the mood and weather takes them. Again, if you would like to be added to that, please let me know.

Several years ago, a few of us used to have fairly regular very informal gatherings known as “Not-A-Meeting”s in a local pub, . While there was never any set agenda and conversation flowed widely, they did provide an opportunity to meet new volunteers and discuss some of the fascinating details of our little river: also to talk about what we might target as a group. We will be trying another at The Greyhound, Chalfont St Peter, on the evening of Wednesday 20th from 7.30pm. No need to book or anything, just turn up and find us.

Finally, although we haven’t done that much this year, it has been suggested that we really must have our annual Christmas Dinner! Before we go too far, let’s establish demand. Please let me know if you like the idea and which of December 1st, 2nd, 6th, 8th, 13th or 15th might suit. I hope you will be able to come.