Child playing in river © Sally Broom
Tales from the Riverbank Community Stories
For many people, our local chalk streams hold a special significance. Their crystal-clear waters and lush green banks - so often bustling with wildlife - offer calm and adventure in equal measure. As we interact with these unique habitats, our thoughts, feelings, and experiences transform into memories; precious snapshots of moments in time.
We're working with community members to preserve and share these fascinating personal stories, as part of the Tales from the Riverbank project within the Watercress and Winterbournes scheme. You can read written stories on this page, and listen to oral history recordings (free of charge) through the Wessex Film and Sound Archive.
If you have a story to share, then we would love to hear from you. All chalk stream memories, no matter how "ordinary", are important to us. You can choose whether to write your experiences down or be visited by one of our highly trained volunteers, who will collect your story in recorded form. Either way, you'll have as much support and guidance as you need.
