The clocks have gone back, there was nearly a ‘grass frost’ the other morning and the Christmas countdown is well and truly on…but if you need a reminder of what summer was like along the Marlborough area’s banks of the River Kennet, take time to pop into St Peter’s Church where the winners of Action for the River Kennet’s photographic competition are on show.
The competition was on the simple theme ‘Celebrating our chalk stream’. It was sponsored by Pete Davis Photography of Marlborough and organised by ARK’s Anna Forbes.
There were two classes – adults and fifteen and under. The winners can be seen in St Peter’s Church at the west end of the High Street until Sunday, November 1.
The winning photograph in the adult class is by Simon Baker of Ramsbury. It was taken in late August at the Ramsbury Triangle – at the bottom of Mill Lane. It features his wife Blair, an amazing long distance cameo of sky lit up by evening sunshine contrasting with the mottled blue overhead – and a foreground of cool and darker shades and reflections as the River Kennet glides eastward.
Simon and Blair and their two children and three dogs often walk along the Kennet as it passes through Ramsbury.
There is a fascinating story behind the photograph that came second. Colin and Claire Allen are from Evesham and were staying at The Lamb so Claire could take a course in teddy bear making at the Marlborough College Summer School.
This gave Colin, a keen amateur photographer, plenty of time to indulge in his hobby. In Stonebridge Meadow he came upon several wrens – probably foraging for their young along the river banks. His photo of one of these wrens with its mouth full of moth and some bugs is really dramatic – and gives a great sense of these tiny birds’ feisty and skittering activity.
Colin has returned his prize money to ARK to help with their work – and their next photographic competition.
And if you are wondering why Claire was making teddy bears – they combined their visit to the prize-giving in Marlborough with a detour to Chippenham to see their very new grandchild.
The prizes were presented at St Peter’s Church by ARK’s Chairman, Geoffrey Findlay, on Monday evening (October 26.) The winner of the fifteen and under class – Jessie Ford was away on holiday. But two of the other winners were there to collect their prizes.
Second placed Ethan Ho had borrowed his father’s old camera to take his competition photos.
And third placed Scott Granger had learnt about ARK from his time as a Cub with the Second Marlborough Scouts – the Tuesday Pack. And he has taken part in several ARK volunteer days – building a bug palace and planting one of the Meadow’s hedges.
The photographs remain the copyright of the photographers – and we are grateful for their use. To enlarge the two winning photos – just click on them.
