Ashburnham Place, one of our Partners in Action, is a Christian retreat and conference centre near Battle in Sussex. ‘It’s chucking it down again’, said David Giles, the centre’s Facility Director earlier this year, when it felt as if the rain would never stop. The heat waves and drought conditions of the summer have been a stark contrast to those wet, winter months.
Like much of the country, Ashburnham has been reminded of its dependence on rainfall for our most basic needs. Rain is something we may have taken for granted and, perhaps, even wished for less of. How times can change. At Ashburnham, water continues to play a really important part in the life of the centre.
‘Our predecessors understood the value of the spring water that flows into the valley floor – many years ago, they created three hand-dug lakes. Today, these lakes are a beautiful part of the landscape supporting a rich and varied ecosystem. There are reed warblers, kingfishers, ducks, geese, dragonflies and grass snakes, and, beneath the surface, perch, roach, tench and pike.
Our guests appreciate the lakes too. The lakes offer tranquility, a chance to step away from busy lives, to swim, boat or simply sit beside the water. They remind us that water is more than something we need – it’s something that brings life and creates places where one can pause and enjoy the natural world. Our dependence on water is obvious when you turn on a tap. We have a borehole that supplies most of our domestic water. But with nearly 90 people living on site and, at times, close to 1,000 guests, making sure we have enough is a daily responsibility. It reminds us that this ‘limitless’ resource is finite.
Water has also shaped our gardens. We enjoy the four fountains that our predecessors constructed. They are spring fed from a mile away and bring water into the gardens, cascading into pools in different garden settings.
Recently, we’ve managed to get our kitchen garden fountain working again. The kitchen garden is a special place. It produces freshly grown fruit and veg, much of which we serve to guests. It is also a place that benefits people in recovery and is home to “Closer to the Land”, a project that helps mainly school-age children connect with nature.
At a time when we are reminded of the value and vulnerability of water, I think of the fountain at the heart of the garden. Its flowing water reminds me of the “water of life” in Revelation 22, flowing to nourish the tree of life. It is a powerful image of life sustained by water and of the interdependence and close relationship we have with all living things. Perhaps that is what this year’s extremes of weather have taught me. Whether it arrives in seemingly endless rain or is something we desperately need, water connects us – to the land, to each other, and to the life around us’.
