… Oxford is at the confluence of at least seven rivers. Historically, commerce has flown down those rivers, while cattle herders have sought safe passage across Middle Earth. In time, this gave rise to the city’s ancient name as an oxen ford. Still, water reigns supreme over her floodplains, with flooding a natural occurrence, often bringing an almost mysterious stillness to the land.

But now our waterways are threatened by the appalling pollution by raw sewage dumped by the water companies driven by quick profit. This shocking state of affairs must urgently change.

The Nature Based Solutions Conference took place in Oxford and was designed to bring about much needed global change. Sacred water was needed for the opening and so led by Chris Park, a renowned local storyteller, beekeeper and practising druid, steeped in the folklore of these isles, we undertook a water pilgrimage.

On a most beautiful day, this deep journey started at St. Margaret’s Well in Binsey. This is where Oxford’s patron saint St Frideswide was buried in 727 and which subsequently became a main pilgrimage shrine. From here, we walked along the river into the heart of the city to deposit the sacred water.

Earlier Serafina and I had created a small film for the conference, providing an airborne experience of the city’s life-giving waterways from sunrise to sunset and with a beautiful narration by Chris Park.