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The National Federation of Women’s Institutes annual campaigns in recent years have included ‘End Plastic Soup’ launched in 2017, and ‘Clean Rivers for People and Wildlife’ in 2023.

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Both strike a note for us: Arnside is flanked by a 2-mile stretch of the Kent estuary, as it runs into Morecambe Bay. We are part of a National Landscape and the whole of Morecambe Bay is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, so we are justly proud of our waterfront and want it to be its best.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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As the Kent flows past our village, it includes not only its own flow of water, but has water from numerous other rivers, it has most recently been joined by the Gilpin and Bela rivers.​

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The bay’s treacherous currents, fast-incoming tidal bore and unpredictable quicksand mean that bathing status cannot be endorsed by our local Coast Guards, or the Parish Council. However, being in and around the water is very much part of the enjoyment of many people who live and visit here:

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​Walkers are on the wet sands and dogs swim in all seasons

• We have a thriving sailing club

• Canoeists and sailboarders ride the bore

• Children paddle and on warmer days people swim, particularly

• in the many shallower pools left by the outgoing tide

• The famous cross bay walks start from Arnside’s promenade,

• and every summer thousands of people wade through the water

• to Kents Bank and Grange-over-Sands.​​

 

A systematic testing of the waters that flow past our shore would give evidence for action, if needed, regarding the quality of the Kent, and Leighton Beck. The very successful Clean River Kent Campaign [https://www.cleanriverkentcampaign.co.uk/ ] have kindly shared their work with us, but it is clear that a scientific protocol that would be effective in the estuary is complex, potentially dangerous and beyond our current capability.

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So what can we do?

 

In 2025 five WI and Sustainable Arnside volunteers joined in the Great UK Water Blitz collecting water samples along Leighton Beck and the Kent, thus adding our data to the national map. We plan for more people to test in 2026, and to build up a preliminary picture of our shore. 2025 data can be seen here: https://www.freshwaterwatch.org/pages/great-uk-waterblitz-results#RESULTS

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We also plan to hold a joint water awareness event, highlighting the issues with water safety, but also the actions we can all take to avoid adding to the problem through poor household waste disposal.

 

 

 

 

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