Singing River Walk in Endcliffe Park

by Steph Howlett

On Sunday, 12th April, about 20 members of Sheffield Climate Choir walked out through Endcliffe Park, following the course of the Porter Brook, for a singing river walk. The group were concerned about the frequent sewage dumps from Yorkshire Water into our rivers and streams. Undaunted by the occasional April shower, the group walked the length of the park, stopping in strategic spots to sing songs warning of water pollution. They were supported by members of Extinction Rebellion Sheffield, sporting very fetching fish costumes, who handed out leaflets and engaged with passers-by. The leaflets listed things that people could do for cleaner water, including joining the Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust, https://www.sheafportertrust.org/ and joining the Great UK Water Blitz. https://earthwatch.org.uk/greatukwaterblitz/

One of the songs, to the tune of Daisy, Daisy, with new words by local resident Izzy Price, demanded,

“Pure clean water, from tap and in waterway,

Good for our health, as we walk, rest and play.

Good for wildlife and planet,

Can’t be bad for anything, can it?

So water clean, in sea and stream,

Is our demand today.”

Peter Gilbert, a local Green councillor and Tessa Lupton, a Green Party candidate for Ecclesall, came along to add their support and spoke of their concern about this issue.  

Steph Howlett, co-ordinator of the Sheffield Climate Choir, said, “Our message clearly resonated with people in the park, some of whom came and joined in the singing. Many expressed great concern about the risk to children who love to paddle in the brook in the warmer weather. In particular, people were horrified that there had been a sewage spill into the Porter Brook only 48 hours before our hugely popular Easter Duck Race. We wanted to raise awareness and encourage people to take action. Rather than shouting, we use our singing to try to change hearts and minds”

Sheffield Climate Choir is part of the national Climate Choir Movement, a rapidly growing movement with choirs from all over the UK – and even as far away as Zimbabwe. The Sheffield group meet monthly from 5 to 6:30 pm on Sundays. It’s free to join, and all are welcome, regardless of experience. For more details, contact sheffield@climatechoirmovement.org.

Note from Graham

This event pre-empted this front page story in the Star concerning a sewage discharge in the River Sheaf 48 hours before children were paddling there for the duck race https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/environment/concern-over-sewage-spill-in-river-ahead-of-popular-duck-race-in-sheffield-park-6573590