Otter – 2001: How Memories Became Songs

29 Aug 2025

As part of WCT’s involvement in Common Ground’s Confluence project, we talked to residents of Streets Meadow Care Home, about their memories of seeing otters along the River Stour when they were children.  Using these words, we wrote librettos which were then set to music by various composers, in styles ranging from traditional church music to contemporary jazz.  Listen to a few of the songs below:

Mink Gangsters – words by Tuppy Hill, Della Edwards, Joy Felton and Jeff Hart; music by Raymond Sargent with Allenbourn School Choir

Dotty and Betty and Hilda and me – words by Tony Horitz, music by Raymond Sergent 

Names I Remember – words by Gill Horitz, music by Philippa Forrest with Helen Porter

Once A Girl Glimpsed – words by Gill Horitz, music by Raymond Sargent

Voice of a Woman – words by Gill Horitz, music Raymond Sargent

Read here Memories of Otters told by older people living in Wimborne

Read here Otter Song Lyrics.

Read here about the Otter project

WCT joined other singers to perform the choral works as part of Otter – Lutra, Lutra on the Stour, in Wimborne Minster and Guildford Cathedral.

If you’d like a copy of the full choral work, please get in touch.