CUT THE CRAP - PROTEST

[Marilyn Rogers]

Please join me at the top of Langstone high st on the main road this Saturday 26 th at 10 am. Thanks Marilyn

[Mark Taylor]

Marilyn,
I plan to raise this at LCRC committee tonight. It would be good if we can get a cordinated effert from the club. Interestingly, I have been approached about this from the friends of Chichester Harbour. Their approach seems to be concentrating more on forbidding more housing around the harbour as the facilities, including sewerage processing can not cope.

[Lesley Kent]

We’ll be there Marilyn x

[Marion]

Will try to make it ,Marilyn.  Marion 👍

[nigel]

I shall be there, despite the lure of a Row to distract me!

Have we a club statement on the matter ( ! ) which we can refer to if questioned by the press?

I think we should have a formal position statement, bearing in mind our proximity to Budd's Farm, the known previous local incidents, and that all our local rows pass through the areas affected.*

*<see Southern Water's own tidal monitoring and prediction data>

Today's discharge from Budd's Farm:-
Event ID Site Number Bathing Site Outfall Last Activation Start Last Activation End Duration (hrs) Activity
675610 12661 LANGSTONE HARBOUR BUDDS FARM HAVANT NO2 23/11/2022 07:40 AM 23/11/2022 19:00 PM 11.33 Genuine
678711 12661 LANGSTONE HARBOUR

[Marilyn Rogers]

Glad you can come Nigel that makes 5 cutters in Langstone 🤔 ,Can you  be our spokesman to the press please .

[Michael Gilbert]

My suggestion?

Langstone Cutters Rowing Club has 80 Members and rows several times a week in and around Chichester and Langstone Harbours.

We have been a Harbour user for over 25 years, we are dismayed to find that in all that time, almost no effort has gone into solving the issue of raw sewage discharges.

Southern Water was fine £90mn recently and it has made no difference.

We are the 5th largest economy in the world and yet when it rains - and sometimes when it doesn't - the bodies charged with dealing with our sewage think it ok to pollute our Harbour and pay a fine.

It must stop.

[Mark Taylor]

My view,  for what it is worth on a club statement is:

1. Every time we launch and recover our craft,  we have to wade in water that is persistently polluted.

2. Sewage treatment and disposal is a public health issue.  It should be carried out by a local authority that is accountable to the electorate.  Time after time,  southern water are fined,  they pay up,  take the hit,  and continue as is. They still manage to give reasonable returns to their share holders.


3. Sewage treatment is expensive,  to do it properly,  requires large infrastructure such as storm holding tanks.  No private company can afford to invest in such.  Therefore,  and this is not a political or ideological statement,  treatment should be funded from the public purse.

[michael]

Mark, after the committee’s meeting are we having a coordinated member protest?
Michael

[Frances]

This was in the BBCs news daily update today,  Surfers Against Sewage.....with a mention of Shoreham West Sussex halfway down the article, lots of people's health affected

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-63681034?xtor=ES-208-[56529_NEWS_NLB_ACT_WK47_Thurs_24_November]-20221124-[bbcnews_uk_england_wild_swimming_sickness]

[Mark Taylor]

Michael,  in reply to your comment.  At committee,  we agreed that those of that can,  would join Marilyn's initiative at to of high Street with audience of havant to hayling motorists.  

[Mark Taylor]

So come on everyone.

Let's support this initiative that Marilyn has started.  Let us meet up just before 10 at the top of Langstone High Street on Saturday Marilyn has made a banner.  It's worth letting the world know what we think.  

Please sign up,  so we know how many are coming.

[Mark Taylor]

....... and if we all turn up in club kit,  we can let all know who we are.

[Matt O’Neill]

I have to work in the morning, but can be with you around 1ish to help support, if you’re all still there.
It’s such a great subject to bring awareness to!

[nigel]

Thanks, Mike for your suggested statement. I am minded to use that, if requested, (unless I am made aware that there is a formal alternative from our committee before the protest starts).

I append a late update on the protest that will help some members realise timetables and some necessary constraints to our actions. See below. - ESPECIALLY HI-VIS JACKETS.

Please also note that I am also supposed to be planting trees that morning, so pardon me if I "buzz-off" early to help plant 70 in Emsworth!

>>>
For those who plan to join us for the ‘Cut the Crap’ demonstration this Saturday. We have received an update from Mayday, they are helping to coordinate the event.

So as not to break any demonstration regulations participants should wear clearly visible clothing, ideally High Vis Jackets. Stay off the road surface and do not block cycle or footways. It is not the intention to disrupt traffic. The last thing that is wanted is for drivers to be distracted and there be an accident.
 
Mayday have organised a VW van bedecked with banners that will drive between Haying Island and Fishbourne and record the event.
 It will probably pass Langstone at about 10:00 to 10:15
 They expect that their VW van will be passing Emsworth roundabout sometime between 10:15 and 10:45 but stress timings can only be approximate. Other groups on the route will have placards/slogans with vocal or instrumental noise. We can be creative!
 We understand there will also be people at the Emsworth Mill Pond from the 2 sailing clubs organised by the FinalStrawFoundation.
 
Mayday have thanked us for our support so I hope we can provide a good turnout.
<<<<<<<

[Mark Taylor]

Apparently, with no notification via this forum.  Everyone is now gathering at ship Inn car park. Really useful to keep everyone informed.

[Mike Gilbert]

I drove over to Thorney Island to attend the Chichester Federation AGM today - on behalf of LCRC and CRAC. Good to see many CtC Protests from Langstone across to Emsworth... and all being well supported.

At the AGM the Chairman; the Conservancy representative and other attendees all mentioned it.

Following the addition of monitoring at Sweare Deep/Northney Slip, Chichester Conservancy are now aware that the impact on Chichester Harbour is real. They have invited Southern Water to a meeting to discuss the plans Southern Water have to build new plant in Bedhampton to address the issues.


Mike

[Matt O’Neill]

Sorry I didn’t make it over in the end, work caught up with me a little. But well done to all who did!