West Hallam’s Wells – Being Connected
This was once true. Sadly, you can now no longer check its validity. But, during July 25, the West Hallam Wikipedia page listed that its Well-Dressings, the Pagan tradition of blessing the gods for the provision of freshwater springs, began in 1970. The article also went on,
“That over the years, celebrities such as Jimmy Krankie , Ewen MacIntosh (Keith from The Office) and Rod Hull – sans Emu- had all opened the village’s annual thanksgiving event”.
You see words on a screen can be just that. Just words. They don’t always connect the dots! Sometimes there’s a dis-connect. I’m not talking about deceit, about stretching or mangling truth. No, I’m meaning about actually “being there” as opposed to just reading about it. That feeling of the lay of the land, the getting of a fuller picture. The grass beneath and between your toes interactions of reality versus a written account. Obvious I know. But sometimes it needs stating.
I mention it because I’m not sure how times WTF has been at the West Hallam Well Dressings. I’m guessing 7. But each time, “Lovely Conversations” has always been the takeaway, the headline, the leitmotif, for each and every one of those times attending. Writing about it can’t fully convey the impact. It’s about connecting directly. Be it shared circumstances, second hand stories or lived experiences. Connecting through talking is a key step to well-being. Its “Why talking fixes”. And we always find connections through these interactions at the West Hallam Well Dressings.
I doubt that there was still a working freshwater spring left in Erewash’s finest village in 1970, original well dressings in Derbyshire date back to 1348, but I suspect that there was always strong connections between the villagers back then. Why else would it still be central to the village 55 years later? Those connections endure and link each successive event. Connections leave a trail, an impact, a footprint. Connecting through simple conversations. They daisy chain the years, and a thread runs through each of our Well Dressing events. People recognise us. Check in on us. We’ve connected and left our indelible mark on the community.
I’ve found there is also a connection on your VPN too. A trail when you “add a little additional interest” to a Wikipedia page. So, the post about Jane Tucker. “The Jane”. You know, from Rainbow’s Rod, Jane and Freddy! Well, someone added that she moved to West Hallam to become ordained as the village’s first female vicar in 1987. It’s been removed. Also too, the bit about the celebs who opened previous Well Dressings. Though if left, they would have given the village something more to talk about.
Kevan Garvey
