Worcester College has made a fundraising appeal to support “urgent” repairs for its lake, which has been “leaking” since at least Trinity term of last year. The work to repair the lake is likely to cost over £350,000 according to an official video. The Lake Repair Fund, to which Old Members have pledged to match the first £50,000 of donations, is one of four funds donors can contribute to for Worcester’s Giving Day in late November.
The lake is currently leaking into the nearby Oxford Canal. In light of recent heavy rainfalls – this September marked the wettest month Oxford has seen in 250 years – Worcester’s grounds-people have been given training and permission to use Isis Lock 46 to control the high water levels. A buildup of silt on the lakebed also poses a threat to the lake’s ecosystem.
The lake holds a dear place in the hearts of students, teachers, and visitors alike. It often serves as the backdrop for various art shows and performances hosted by the college, most notably an annual performance from Buskins, which has a strong claim to be Oxford’s oldest college drama society.
In a promotional video for the Giving Day, Worcester Provost David Isaac said “who can imagine Worcester without its lake?”. The head gardener described it as “the heart of the college [and] a very special place for all of us”. The Giving Day also seeks to raise money for music and student support.
Worcester canon holds that Imran Khan, international cricket star and ex-prime minister of Pakistan who was recently ruled out of the race for Oxford Chancellor, once hit a cricket ball for six into the lake from the nearby field – a feat that has yet to be replicated.
The lake also plays a crucial role in one of the three components to the unofficial “Worcester Challenge”, which supposedly includes skinny dipping in the lake, public streaking, and copulation in its historic library. Such acts are forbidden by the college.
