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A splashing time in Margate!

Locals 'flood' to the Cliftonville Community Centre to take part in Kent Wildlife Trust's and Southern Water's fun activity day.
Southern Water

A successful water and wildlife-themed day was held in Margate thanks to sponsorship by Southern Water.

Over 40 people attended the event – part of a wider education project by Kent Wildlife Trust – at the Cliftonville Community Centre in St Pauls Road. Many participants heard about the day by direct communication with the Painting the Town Green team, as they have been working in the area visiting local shops, youth centres and other partnerships. Others had come across it on the day as they had been walking past the Community Centre.

Filtering water

Southern Water generously provided the necessary materials to show how to clean the dirty water before it is put back into the water systems and our rivers and seas. The filtering activity really helped to illustrate the water cleaning process that is taken for granted by all of us as we turn on our taps to get a glass of water to drink.

One challenge for the children was to find out where their personal drink might have been on its journey to the glass. Cut-out water droplets were left on the tables with ideas as to where the water might have been. Caught up in plants? Used by industry? Inside people? Out of a cave or valley? Locked up in an iceberg? The question is always - do you want to drink it now?!

River model

There was a model to demonstrate how a river works from the upper reaches down to the ocean, showing how the river takes the water that falls as rain on the higher ground or mountain top down to the sea or oceans. It demonstrated how soil and sediments get washed down the river and how this could cause flooding in places a long way from where the rain fell.

There were discussions around how it was important to make sure

 that any water that gets put back into the river is clean so that the animals and plants that live along and in it can remain healthy. This is why what Southern Water does is so important, ensuring that, not only are we able to have clean water, but likewise, the environment and the animals and plants that live here too.
There was also a chance to discover how to build a small bucket pond that could be added to your garden. This helped participants to understand how water can support many different forms of life, even in a small space.

Activity day

Many visitors were unaware of what may happen when fat, oil and grease goes down the drain. Many had not ever considered it and one small boy said that his dad would put the chip fat down the toilet! Many loved the idea of the fat funnel and were really pleased to take this away to use at home.

The event raised greater awareness about the different ways in which visitors could help save water at home and all participants took away the informative leaflets kindly supplied by Southern Water.

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