News + Ideas

On the 16^th May, 12 of the MGAC London team took to Walthamstow Wetlands for our yearly volunteering initiative. The Wetlands is a large reservoir and nature reserve, spanning an impressive 211 hectares, making it one of the most sizable in Europe, just 15 minutes from central London. It supplies water to 3.5 million people and is an important urban conservation site due to its positioning near the Lee Valley, preserving the site’s natural, social, and industrial heritage.

In true British summer style, we arrived in the drizzling rain, convened by the Engine House, and met our guide for the day, Maria. She gave us a rundown of some Wetlands history, explained our task at hand, and gave us the all-important health and safety briefing.

Maria informed us that we would be trimming back and tidying various pathways to prepare for the Green Flag Awards, a prestigious prize which recognises and rewards well-managed parks across the world. Due to the wet and warm weather we had in the lead-up to our visit, the shrubbery and undergrowth were overgrown and out of control, so after collecting our tools, we got to work. Stinging nettles and unwanted bindweed were removed from the beds to ensure the preferred plants and greenery could flourish, and after a lot of team effort of cutting, sweeping, and general project management, the paths looked much improved. We admired our work before heading to lunch in the Engine House.

We proceeded to the sensory garden, where we created a sit-down area with some logs and once again ripped out the omnipresent bindweed from the fence and herb garden, finishing off our day’s work. We then headed off to a local Blackhorse Road brewery for a well-deserved drink. Thank you to Maria and the Walthamstow Wetlands team for a very rewarding day!