Access to water during a heatwave is something most of us in the local area are fortunately able to take for granted. However, when a water main burst on Sunday 18th July, the hottest day of the year, residents and businesses in Clanfield were left in a state of upheaval. Around half of the village had no water supply or very low water pressure between 8:00am and 3:30pm, and some households went without for longer. The Clanfield Centre, which reopened on 8th June, was lucky enough to have water supply despite the burst water main. Upon becoming aware of the problem facing the village, the Centre team wasted no time in inviting people to the Centre via social media. Centre Manager, Natasha Glover, said “We were more than happy to support the local community and help in any way we could. Some families came in to buy bottles of water, and many people did this for pets. A lot of people came in asking us to fill up their bottles of water for family members, pets and neighbours. We are so glad that we were in a position to help, and relieved to know that the issue is now resolved for most households!” Having a local place to access water without having to travel out of Clanfield was crucial for many residents. Natasha recalled, “My mum was at a local convenience store at around 10am on Sunday and due to the burst water main, they had already ran out of bottles of water at this time! An elderly gentleman was very upset as his wife had just had a stroke and came out of hospital days before. Needless to say, my mum and the shop staff sent him straight to the Centre and he was very relieved and grateful – it was touching. Local businesses sent people our way all day.” The Clanfield Centre is open this week for visitors who are looking to enjoy sports and leisure activities in the summer weather or cool off with a visit to the café. The Centre staff will be glad to help any residents who still need support with access to water. For further information, please call 02394 211650 or get in touch via email at support.clanfield@cfirst.org.uk
Opening times for the Centre:
Mon-Fri 08:00-21:00 Sat-Sun 08:00-6:00