The volunteer session programme has now been released for April – June 2026. Check out the programme HERE. If you would like to get involved in volunteering on Lewisham’s rivers please read through the the River Volunteering web page, and if you have any questions or queries please get in touch with Emily.
“I had a brilliant time volunteering at Ladywell park with Rivers & People Riverbank Management. As a student I’m always working at a computer so it was a lovely change of pace to get up and active whilst helping out the community. Meeting the other volunteers was a great opportunity to meet other locals and make connections outside of university. From a conservation perspective it was really interesting to learn about the maintenance needed for these parks to stay enjoyable all year round. In the session I attended we focused on removing reeds and silt to improve the flow of the stream. As a newcomer everyone was welcoming to me and I felt very comfortable in the group. I hope to be involved with more projects in the future and I encourage you to do the same!” – Elsa, Local Uni Student
January began in a very wet fashion, with lots of heavy rain and the rivers in flood mode. Our first session back was at Cornmill Gardens where we working on the viewing platform both checking the wooden slats and removing a line of vegetation so in a month’s time when the plants get growing you’ll still be able to see the river! The volunteers also cleared up litter and various bits of rubbish that had floated downstream in the recent rains, which Glendale’s cleansing team collected at the end of the session.
Later in the month we were back on the weir in Ladywell Fields, allowing the river to permeate through the weir and unblocking the secondary channel was our key aim and after 3 hours of shifting vegetation, rubbish, fence panels, and a e-bike we left the weir with a good flow, and a cohort of moorhens who appeared as we left.
Glendale is the parks contractor for the London Borough of Lewisham’s contractor, and they release a quarterly update on what is happening across the green spaces,
It doesn’t feel too long since I wrote a post about the end of 2024, but 2025 has been a really busy and varied year for our Rivers & People volunteers. Firstly, I want to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who helped out at one of our 36 sessions this year. We covered all three rivers within Lewisham, and miles of banksides, surveying for wildlife, litter-picking, restoration projects within the channel to improving access to the river from within the parks. Overall, 693 volunteer hours have been given to the rivers in Lewisham, so thank you to everyone who has been involved.
To join the Rivers & People volunteer group in 2026, please check out our January-March session programme.
The volunteer session programme has now been released for January – March 2026. Check out the programme HERE. If you would like to get involved in volunteering on Lewisham’s rivers please read through the the River Volunteering web page, and if you have any questions or queries please get in touch with Emily.
The volunteer session programme has now been released for October to December 2025. Check out the programme HERE. If you would like to get involved in volunteering on Lewisham’s rivers please read through the the River Volunteering web page, and if you have any questions or queries please get in touch with Emily.
Our friends at Creekside Discovery Centre have their annual open day coming up! Please read below for more information about the event.
This is your best chance to experience the full variety of wildlife experiences and activities we offer here at Creekside, and to meet the whole team of staff, volunteers and trustees whilst you enjoy an afternoon immersed in urban wildlife. Mark your calendars and book your tickets, as it’s an event not to be missed!
On the day you’ll be able get up close and personal with wild plants and animals sharing Creekside with us – on land and in the river! The event will be packed full of guided and self-led activities, including river dipping, pond dipping and bug hunting, to name just a few. There will be lots to entertain young ones and grown-ups alike. And for those interested in learning about how we are conserving and enhancing the local environment, join our guided wildflower walk where you’ll also learn about our exciting wildlife and community projects.
Most of all, we hope you join us on the day and connect with the wonder of Creekside’s urban wildlife!
Our events starts at 11am and so far, activities will include:
Read more and book your place at https://www.creeksidecentre.org.uk/events/creekside-annual-open-day-2025~483/
We had slightly less sessions in May due to some staff annual leave, but the sessions we had were full on! From clearing the weir in Ladywell Fields, and getting that water flowing through all the rocks to heading back to the willow lined Quaggy in Chinbrook Meadows. In this latter location we manage the veegtation that grows into and through the boardwalk to keep it accessible for everyone to walk through the ponds and over the river here on the pathways.
Above the Ravensbourne on the bridge to St Mary’s Churchyard and gardens we met a familiar avian face; a pair of mandarin ducks who have called this stretch of river home for the past three years. We know its the same female mandarin as she has a twisted lower bill, so she stands out, we also imagine she gets a lot of food from park visitors as she has certain grown in confidence as she was the first bird to fly up and ask for crumbs (swiftly followed by the male, pictured above, then some feral pigeons)!
Rivers and People 