Category Archives: FAQ’s

Pencader – where it all started

Our charity’s first field centre was in Pencader, Wales, where we renovated Aber-Gwen Woollen Mill creating a museum, visitor centre,  fish hatchery, stock ponds and a shop, all near to Pencader Station.
You can see a photo of Abergwen Mill on our archive site and photos of Pencader by scolling down this page.

World of Water Background

The Late Joyce Latham LAMDA., broadcaster and actor, devoted much of her energies to collecting memorabilia. She co-founded the museum at Aber Gwen Woollen Mill with Arthur Taylor, engineer and watermill enthusiast, where parts of her collection went on display. Throughout the 1970’s she roamed across continents in search of material for her museum.

Although trying her hardest to keep her museum open, alive and prosperous, when Taylor died his heirs eventually forced its closure in 1981.

Joyce continued to grow her museum collections, but as she grew older she travelled less, focusing her activities on teaching acting, elocution and deportment.

On her death in 2013, aged 91, her estate (Latham-Jesse Estate) was distributed across the many charities she had supported throughout her life including World of Water which she co-founded soon after the closure of her museum.

Having charged her charity trustees with her last spark of enthusiasm to continue supporting research into more careful water use and the health and conservation of all waterlife and related water heritage, Joyce bequethed to World of Water a restricted investment fund for buying and managing a property to provide the income stream needed to ensure the continuation and growth of her charity’s work.

The investment fund, whilst not large enough to buy another Aber Gwen Woollen Museum outright, remains ever ready-for-use. Since 2013, World of Water has made unsuccessful offers on several interesting properties.

In the memorandum Joyce left to her trustees about the future of the her Collections, she had more to say about preventing global water pollution and feeding the World’s starving than she did about the actual purpose of her collections. At Aber Gwen Mill Museum, her Collections were used to widen visitor appreciation of the surrounding rivers, woodland, fish hatchery and ponds. Since her death these collections have been used more in highlighting the issues in her memorandum. We hope that the Late Joyce Latham Elam would approve.

On all her travels, she always collected items that captured her curiousity, and her interests were boundless. Those exhibits on loan to the original museum were returned when the museum closed. All other exhibits needed storage. Sadly, many items, especially those stored in three empty pig sties in the Cotswolds, suffered damage beyond restoration.

Today’s ‘Elam Collection’ is much reduced, in museum storage, and sadly not open to the public and World of Water continues to run from its field centre’s kitchen table.

However, the search for a new home for our charity is ever current as we continue to make progress with our present projects, which include:

the loan of items from the Elam Collections for related school projects.
publishing books for children.
digitally recording & shareing news on water heritage.
supporting campaigns on water issues eg. ocean & river rewilding , beach cleans.
fostering a global pollutionless future for our shared finite water resource.
researching more efficient use of water and nutrients in closed-loop food production.
careing for a small plot of ancient woodland in Sussex and three fields in Powys.
offering places for international students through Wwoof and helpX schemes (pre Covid).
promoting #MakeWaterFamous #TidalPower #RiverWatch
culturing plants for rewilding.
writing copy and providing illustrations to community groups for articles, blogs & presentations.
attending events & exhibitions (pre Covid).

Projects in the making include research into:

The canal transport of fuel & flannel.
Water Power from watermills & steam mills.
Washing & Drying [Industrial & Domestic use].
Water & Wool.
Water-in-the-home.
Global Water Heritage.
Community Skills & Water footprint education.
Museum curation & archival conservation.
Training & Research into ever better Charity Management.
Low River Severn elver runs.
Water in Malt production and Brewing.

And ongoing Fund raising of course.

 

A section of the Museum collection includes postcards. The following postcards show Pencader and were donated to World of Water in memory of the Birmingham Engineer, A.E.D. Taylor – our charity’s first patron and its co-founder who bought and masterminded the Mill’s renovation shortly after visiting the Centre for Alternative Technology.

  

 

 

 

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Below, photo of charity  co-founder, Joyce Latham Elam (on right of centre) taken whilst on location filming the story of the Fasting Girl of Pencader

 

Adopting a COMMON WORLD WATER QUALITY STRATEGY

From: John C. Jones
REPLY TO GRANT on the subject of a COMMON STRATEGY

Hello again Grant.

As always, your words are a pleasure to read. It is wonderful to witness the determination and dedication with which you carry out your work.  “World of Water” charity  certainly deserves everyone’s support and the underlying principle will continue to occupy a place in my mind, as it has done for as long as I can remember.

“As we are” is most definitely no solution and there are millions, even billions, of us who are well aware of that fact. Unfortunately, too many people resign themselves to thinking that nothing can be done to improve the situation. I will never be one of them, as I KNOW that a lot can be done. The “solution” reveals itself to me moment by moment, as it also does to you. The truth will always reveal itself to those who pursue it so unwaveringly.

The apparent difference in our basic viewpoints is actually the result of nothing more than the frailty of language. As is the case with many of the tools at our disposal, it can be both helpful AND obstructive. Consequently, I will always favour TELEPATHY and I prefer to let a person’s ACTIONS reveal the thoughts being expressed.

Even though I like the idea of a COMMON STRATEGY, I most definitely share the view expressed by your words “As each of us search …………….. to do the greatest good for all.” (I would use the word “impossible” instead of “unlikely”.) This can be explained as follows.

I have observed the effectiveness of adopting a strategy which is NOT understood by all, but which is designed by someone whose knowledge and sincerity is respected and accepted by all. Rather than spend time trying to understand the reasoning behind the ideas involved, people can then simply follow the recommendations of the chosen leader. Some might call this concept a “benevolent dictatorship”. Whatever they call it, I have seen that it gets the job done and that is good enough for me. I have never been a supporter of the so-called “democratic” style of debating, arguing and discussing every tiny detail of the plan to such an extent and for such a long time that almost nothing ever actually gets done. I see THAT method of operating as merely a game designed by those in power in order to prevent effective action from being taken. It seems far more sensible to me to allow the leader in any given field to simply issue instructions. Everyone seems to agree with this idea of a common strategy in times of “agreed emergency” when ACTION needs to be taken urgently.

You must have noticed that few queries arrive here asking for suggestions on what to do to improve the quality of WATER-SUPPLIES WORLDWIDE. You are obviously the person who knows and cares about this matter more than anyone else here. Consequently, I am of the view that far more would be achieved if most other people abandoned their own unsuccessful strategies and followed YOUR recommendations (or those of someone else that you might care to suggest).

We could all ADOPT that strategy as the COMMON STRATEGY without wasting time arguing over whether the underlying reasoning was correct or otherwise.

You are well aware of the fact that I am not in the habit of asking someone to tell me what to do. However, I do recognise the fact that there ARE some people in the world whose knowledge and sincerity are sufficient to prompt me into breaking that habit occasionally.

This and my previous message are in no way intended to influence your method of operating. I am merely taking the opportunity to write something on a topic that is of great interest to me. I will always support your continuing efforts.

Whilst remaining very interested in the condition of the planet and the benefit of its population, I am happy with the thought that the universe will continue to cope, with or without either of them. They are only tiny specks in the infinity of existence.

That thought suits ME. It might not suit anyone else and I do not expect anyone else to understand it.

Best Wishes for ever.

The one and only J.
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COMMON STRATEGY. Comment to John from Grant

“As we are” – is no solution.

The ‘solution’ is that which we find as we seek it.

As each of us search in a different manner and as we all process our findings in an equally individual way, it is unlikely that a common strategy will be born of all, understood by all and actioned by all.

It is the few who see the greatest picture that must drive their hearts to do the greatest good for all.

Where there is WATER, life,
where there is LIFE, hope
where there is HOPE, strength
where there is strength, – FUTURE

(A North American Indian Proverb)
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John C. Jones
REPLY TO GRANT

Hello again Grant.

I could not agree more than I do with your main point. Care for other people and the environment come from the same area of awareness and they are actually inseparable. The one automatically leads to the other, whichever of the two we start with.

I also try to avoid aiming criticism at others, based on the same “plank and splinter” principle that you so aptly quote.

However, we can all do no more than our best and one man’s best efforts are sometimes equal to another man’s worst.

A fully-grown weakling can sincerely make a great effort when lifting what even a small child might be capable of easily lifting.

Is it not true that the mere mention of ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS will at least stimulate others to join the “debate” (if it can be termed as such)?

We are all a part of the “master plan” and we all have our own particular role to play. Consequently, we must all try our best to understand those whose intellect is not in the same condition as ours.

As I have written previously, I feel that our “movement” would benefit from a COMMON STRATEGY so that all your supporters could focus their efforts in the same direction, as our common “enemy” does.

In my view, that is the biggest hurdle to be overcome — the lack of a COMMON STRATEGY.

Best Wishes.

The one and only J.
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Posted by Grant

Whilst organisations throw words at other organisations, the problems within our World of Water do not lessen.

This reminds me of the saying :

Take the plank out of your own eye before you take the splinter out of another’s

The journey we all have to take is the one within us – the one that is pushed aside too often by matters of commerce and achievement.

The World will only improve when individuals do their best and care for the environment and their neighbours as they proceed.

<*))))))><

Grant
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John C. Jones
GENERAL INFORMATION

A report just published by the environmental charity WWF-UK suggests that the government is actually doing very little to alleviate the problems of climate-change and damage to the environment.

http://www.wwf-uk.org/core/index.asp

http://www.wwf-uk.org/news/n_0000002053.asp

Best Wishes.

The one and only J.
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John C. Jones

REPLY TO GRANT

Hello again Grant.

I am sure that every thoughtful person on earth will support your efforts when your work receives sufficient publicity. I am merely one of those who have already chanced to find out about your “WORLD OF WATER”. Eventually, the whole world will be aware of what you are doing to try to educate us all. I can only add further words of support to what you have just written.

The word “business” should mean only that (i.e. being busy, doing something useful). The concept of “growth” (per se) is, by definition, unsustainable, as there is a point at which it becomes nothing but “growth for growth’s sake” (i.e. because it sounds good to the listening public). For example, should we continue building roads until the whole land-mass of the planet is covered by them? The answer is that we obviously should not. Similar reasoning can be applied to a vast number of industries.

To live without a struggle, all people have the same basic requirements. We all need sufficient food, shelter and clothing. Having provided those basics, who can claim to be suitably qualified to decide what we should do next (i.e. what businesses we should run)? Who can honestly say that he (or she) has the master plan? Would it not be a good idea for everyone to stop for a while and have a careful think about it?

Those in power have not yet even defined the aim of all this “developmental” activity. Consequently, they propagate the concept of “economic growth”, as if it is part of our “natural law” and, therefore, beyond question. What has this policy brought us, other than war, illness, pollution, traffic jams and the like? Do the benefits really outweigh the detriment? Would an unbiased viewer from another planet be able to comprehend the underlying purpose of all the so-called “economic activity” that takes place on earth? Are we all working long hours just for the sake of it? Can no-one think of anything more interesting to do?

There is no need to offer a prize in order to obtain the correct answers to those simple questions.

Until the whole world has been provided with SUPPLIES OF CLEAN WATER, how can anyone in power claim to be civilised and making progress?

Best Wishes.

The one and only J.
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Thank you John for your support (By Grant)

Business must get down to business and the business of the day is ‘growth’ but we can’t allow “growth at any cost”.

I really don’t want the “truth” of the matter to hit the World in the eye or trip it up in anyway. The reality of our situation on this Planet is plain … this is our ONE shared home.

We break its balance and we all get it in the neck no matter what our belief systems or attitudes may be.

I do not want “time to tell”. I have no wish to “wait and see what happens” whilst I can see what it happening NOW.

Eyes fully open we’ll go forward… eyes partially closed, we’ll trip up
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John C. Jones
REPLY TO GRANT

Hello again Grant.

Breaking the rules of conformity has proved to be necessary over the years in man’s desire to make real progress. As you suggest, it always makes me smile when I see what little attention is paid to this pressing question of WATER and other environmental issues.

The pursuit of monetary gain is the very cause of the problem. People need to be educated into understanding that PRIORITIES must be reordered if progress is to be made in this direction.

When everyone agrees on the need for nothing but environmentally-friendly activities, the problem will be solved independently of the money available to anyone.

This planet existed perfectly happily for a long time before the invention of money.

Thank you for your continuing determination to make people aware of the truth.

Best Wishes.

The one and only J.

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Grant of the HoBB

The Trustees of WoW have just been given the opportunity to add a Financial profile to the new Charity Commission supported site called www.guidestar.org.uk

For me, personally, I feel that a ‘charity’ should give help and to really help, it needs to give time and effort.

I duly wrote a WoW-style Financial Profile and uploaded it to the Guide Star Site thinking that their webmaster would remove it for breaking the rules of “Conformity”. I haven’t checked to see if it’s still there.

For those who can’t wait to read the profile, here it is:
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WoW Financial profile
Introduction :
……………….
We are a Registered Charity and each time we receive a donation, it helps us to promote our message further afield into the hearts of more and more people across the World. Whilst we do not jangle collecting tins in the street, we do have a verified paypal account (Click button and bottom of our Donations Page)

We also need you to donate your “caring” – a priceless gift that will not show up on a balance sheet but will help to keep the World in balance.

We need you to donate your “support” and there are lots of ways you can help. We need the support of everyone from the business ‘gurus’ in London to the villagers on the poverty line along the banks of the River Ganges. It will take the support of everyone, to bring about the sea change required to keep this planet fit for purpose – sustaining quality life.

MONEY donations to our Charity
If you wish to support us in the future, send a promissory note or email to us at World of Water, stating how much money you would like to donate. We will hold your note and work with you to discover the sort of projects you will ENJOY supporting. For us, it is so very important that people see and experience direct results from their donations and do not “donate to a growing pot of general funds”.

There was a song that went …. “Money makes the World go around” – at World of Water we know that the energy comes from a stronger spirit and it is THIS spirit we all need to invest in, to maintain perpetual long-term sustainable growth.

There is no doubt that money oils much of the 21st Century workings. There is no doubt that money has flowed to built that which we see around the World’s power houses today, including the fine web site at Guide Star, but the guiding star we are following is the one that helps ALL lifeforms for we realise that money alone will not come up with all the required cache.

Thank you for your support, at all times.

<*)))))))><

Grant

More on our main Donations page

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