"Walking on Water" - River Crouch Festival

Between April-July 2015, Rochford District Council developed a programme of activities along the north and south banks of the River Crouch in Essex. People who live, work or visit this part of Essex were invited to take part and to help celebrate this unique part of Essex and explore the River’s past, present and future.

As one of eight commissioned artists, I developed work alongside Laura Trevail in our paired locations of Hullbridge and South Woodham Ferrers.

"Walking on Water" was developed with the year 5 students at Riverside School, Hullbridge, and at Collingwood Primary, South Woodham Ferrers. We uncovered the hidden water distribution systems linking the communities of South Woodham Ferrers and Hullbridge and developed a collaborative map. Pivoting on the little-known engineering achievement of the 1926 Hullbridge Tunnel, running 17 metres below the River Crouch, and 171 metres long, supplying clean water between the communities, the map shows the everyday perambulations where we literally walk on and over our water supplies, alongside our talismans and lucky charms that protect our communities and water supplies. The children presented a custom hand-folded copy of the map to Ali Pretty and Richard White to accompany them on the Hullbridge leg of their walk.

Thanks to Chris Davey at Essex and Suffolk Water's Asset Plan team, for support in helping us find the hidden water assets. Also to Essex Records Office for historical data regarding the Hullbridge Tunnel's conception and build.

You can find more information on the project via
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rivercrouchfestival
Twitter: @CrouchRiverFest