Our River of Light danced through the High Street to meet the River.

To the beats of the drums our River of Light danced through the Town Centre to meet the River.

Under the wings of the kite we flew to Riverside, the kite itself a success story of the natural World. Reintroduced to Hertfordshire in the early nineties the kites now thrive, their whistling song often heard over head.

As we congregated on the banks of the River our attention turned to the story of the River Gade shared by Puddingstone co-founder and resident Poet, Kate Walton.

Rivers are more than water flowing over stone. They’re symbols of times passage, of transformation and renewal; And The River Gade carries a remarkable history and story of rebirth.

The Gade is a chalk stream, one of the rarest types of river in the world

It has existed since the post-glacial period. Rising from springs in the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, and flowing through Hertfordshire, through Hemel and meeting the River Bulbourne at Two Waters.

The Gade is special: clear, mineral-rich water the perfect home for water voles and brown trout.

But the river you see today hasn’t always looked like this.

Once upon a time The Gade powered Water mills at Water End and Two Waters, the paper mills at Apsley and Croxley, and supported watercress farming across the area.

When Hemel became a New Town, the water was diverted from the river to supply the people with water.

This human intervention meant the river lost its twist and turns and much of the wildlife moved out..

However, Jellicoe the architect behind Hemel’s Water Gardens, saw its deeper nature and shaped the gardens like a serpent, with the River Gade channeled to form its body, a lake as the head, and a fountain as the eye, capturing the symbolic nature of the river itself.

And now, just as it has for millenia, the River Gade flows on.

Welcoming Spring

Standing here at the water’s edge, we feel something ancient and eternal,
Awakening the serpent at this equinox vernal
With communities gathered, lanterns leading the way,
Perhaps tomorrow we’ll feel different in the clear light of day

Of how beautiful the water sparkles in early spring light,
Playing home to white egrets and the kingfisher’s flight,
And the herons and voles, the swans and the trout,
Not forgetting the willows, from which tender buds sprout.

For these rivers, they flow through our hearts and our veins,
Reminding us all of how all things can change,
And how lucky we are to live in this town
Where the Gade is but one of many jewels in the crown.

With our parks and our people, the new and the old,
A place rich in diversity, a treasure to behold.
So tonight as we gather, with winter now past,
We welcome the light returning at last.

And with drums as earth’s heartbeat, like the river we flow,
Carrying flowers of hope for new seeds to grow.
So let’s make some noise, raise our voices and sing
As we celebrate our town and the renewal of spring!

Poem about the River Gade by resident artist Kate Walton, based in Hemel Hempstead and other entries from Poetry Night at Fishery Wharf Cafe.

Every lantern told a story, many were made in collaboration with teams of artists, some were made in workshops and many at home.

One maker provided the following insight into the inspiration behind her piece and creative experience.

“My lantern was representing a former Hemel landmark: a rotating striped ball on top of a circular multistorey carpark that used to be where Riverside is now. It was orange/yellow striped but I didn’t quite finish, so a ‘ghost’ ball, yellow and white. It could also be seen as heralding the return of spring: spring sun/seed/beach ball… I started making it with my sister Harriet who stayed the previous weekend, then friends Bernard and Kate helped a bit, and I took it to Lisa’s Heath Barn fund-raising craft evening in Boxmoor Playhouse the day before the lantern festival. It would be great if next time there were more opportunities to make lanterns ‘off piste’ in the community. It was a wonderful event, well done!”

Our return to the Town Centre was led by the Mayor who beamed us through the streets to the Rainbow Stage under the light of a giant flower lantern. The stage was owned by the children of Hemel creating a final installation of mini house shaped lanterns, created in schools to represent our homes, nestled within the pyramid shaped lanterns representing the Chiltern Hills that surround us and finally finished with a flourish colour by the Home School Hang Out CIC with lanterns inspired by the flora and fauna of the hillsides.

River of Light was brought to you by Puddingstone Arts, in partnership with Dacorum Borough Council. It was funded by the Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

All’s left to say is Thanks to All for coming together to create such a wonderful event.

You can catch up with all the footage and images by following the link to our YouTube Channel – click link below

Find Lanterns at Planet Munch Puppets at YouTube

River of Light Background

Heritage in Herts – Connecting People and Communities to Heritage

River of Light sits within the wider vision of Puddingstone Arts’ “Heritage in Herts” programme, an artist-led, community co-created initiative designed to engage, inspire and open conversation through place-based storytelling and creative engagement.

The programme explores place-based stories and the art they inspire, inviting communities to connect with heritage through a series of accessible creative activities including workshops, public events, installations and heritage-led discussions. Rooted in Boxmoor and Dacorum, the work facilitates cultural exchange and celebrates the shared and diverse heritage of the area.

At its core, the programme provides a vehicle to explore what unites communities, creating a sense of common culture and belonging through creative participation.

Full evaluation is coming soon please give us some feedback and share your ideas for event by following the link below.