In this episode, host Emily Langston heads to Morden Hall Park in South London, one of the National Trust’s lesser-known gems, to explore how history, ecology, and art come together in a unique creative project.

Our guest is textile artist Ranger Elly Platt, who has been running an inspiring week-long workshop with young people, helping them connect with the rare chalk stream habitat of the River Wandle through embroidery and reclaimed fabrics. Alongside her are Isabelle Bryan (Programming & Partnerships Officer) and Emma Hutchinson (Volunteer & Community Manager) from the National Trust, who share why projects like this matter for both biodiversity and community engagement.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• 🌿 Lockdown walks and hidden histories: Ellie shares how walking along the River Wandle during lockdown led her to discover the river’s fascinating past as a hub of the textile industry – from William Morris’ natural dye revolution to Liberty print works.
  🎨 From chalk streams to stitchwork: How the habitats of the Wandle – gravel beds, water weeds, caddisfly larvae, and fish – inspired textile artworks created by young people.
• ♻️ Sustainability in practice: Using reclaimed fabrics from scrap stores, community donations, and personal stashes to keep the project eco-friendly.
• 👩‍🎨 Empowering young people: Aged 15–23, the group learned sewing techniques, built friendships, and curated their own exhibition in the historic Snuff Mill building.
• 🦋 The magic of caddisflies: Why these tiny invertebrates became the glamorous stars of the embroidery hoops – and how hands-on river monitoring inspired the artworks.
• 🏭 Industrial heritage: A walk through Morden Hall’s Snuff Mill and the story of the Wandle’s 90 mills, once producing everything from gunpowder to flour.
• 🌊 Protecting a rare chalk stream: The ecological importance of the River Wandle, recent pollution threats, and why it remains a habitat worth fighting for.
• 🤝 Community, creativity, and connection: How the project helped combat loneliness, gave young people portfolio-ready work, and strengthened ties with nature.
• 🧵 Textiles as activism: From Elly’s wearable art piece Wandle vs the Wet Wipes to playful "walking and stitching" workshops, discover how fabric and thread can tell stories about rivers, waste, and resilience.
  
  

Exhibition Details

The young people’s work is on display in the Kiln Room at Morden Hall Park until 3rd November. Entry is free, and visitors are encouraged to explore the park, the Snuff Mill, and the river while they’re here.

When Andrea Perry first looked at the neglected green patch near her home in Addiscombe, Croydon, it was a no-go zone nicknamed “Dog Poo Park” — littered with syringes, broken glass, and rubbish. Few dared to step inside.

Fast forward a few years, and the same space is now Dartnell Park — alive with fruit trees, wildflowers, colourful benches, and even a wiggly path for children and dogs. It’s all thanks to Andrea and a group of neighbours who went on to create Croydon’s first official Green Street on Laurier Road.

In this episode, we explore:

🌱 The seed of an idea – How Andrea’s community greening journey began with 12 neighbours in a rainy church hall.
🌸 What makes a Green Street – From pollinator planting in tree pits to negotiating with the council to stop glyphosate spraying.
🤝 Building community through gardening – How monthly working parties (fuelled by coffee and cake!) brought people together and reduced fly-tipping.
🐝 Why glyphosate matters – The case against harmful weedkillers and Croydon Climate Action’s push for spray-free streets.
💡 Practical tips – How you can start your own Green Street, from winning neighbour support to choosing safe, pollinator-friendly plants.
🌍 The bigger vision – Connecting streets into biodiversity corridors that link parks, schools, and neighbourhoods across London.

Andrea’s story is proof that persistence, planting, and people-power can turn bleak spaces into thriving ones. As she says:
 “Gardening and sweeping are exercise outdoors. Do it with other people and you’re ticking every wellbeing box possible — plus you’re building a sense of belonging.”

Croydon Climate Action Group

Programme Manager Rochelle Shanthakumar talks to Dr. Bushra Schuitemaker about everything from chickens and kayaking in Norfolk to  community-led science and Racial and Ethnic Equality and Diversity in Ecology

What do chickens, kayaking in Norfolk, the right to roam, and community-led science have in common? They’re all part of the expansive, joyful and deeply rooted conversation we had with Dr. Bushra Schuitemaker on this episode of the Do London Differently podcast.

Bushra is a zoologist, microbiologist, science communicator and passionate advocate for land justice, inclusive nature access, and environmental equity. A volunteer with Black Girls Hike UK and co-founder of the REED Network (Racial and Ethnic Equality and Diversity in Ecology), her work bridges everything from poultry welfare and community science to Palestine, public health, and the power of walking.

In this episode, Bushra joins Rochelle Shanthakuma for a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation. They discuss how growing up in rural Essex shaped Bushra’s love for nature, how walking can be a joyful form of activism, and why environmental justice must be social justice too.

Whether you’re a curious urban nature lover, someone working in ecology or education, or just wondering how we can make green spaces more welcoming and inclusive—this episode is packed with insight, laughter, and hope.

What does it take to transform a city? Sometimes it starts with something small, a compost system, a shared idea, a community walk to reimagine our grey spaces as green. That’s what was heard loud and clear at the recent London Assembly Environment Committee, where two members of the London National Park City team were invited to speak about the power of community-led action.

In a special session on the future of London’s parks and green spaces, Programme Manager Rochelle Shanthakumar and Executive Director Mark Cridge shared stories of grassroots transformation, local leadership, and the growing movement to green the parts of London that need it most.

Their message was clear: in the face of a climate and nature emergency, community-led action builds lasting nature connection and environmental resilience

The London Assembly Environment Committee is chaired by Léonie Cooper AM. We had questions from Committee members Thomas Turrell, Keith Prince AM, Bassam Mahfouz AM and  Zack Polanski AM

Welcome back to another joyful ramble through London’s green and surprising spaces! In this very special episode of the Do London Differently podcast, co-host Emily Langston is joined by two fantastic guests: climate comedian Stuart Goldsmith and Phoenix Garden manager Louise Gates.

👀 What’s in this episode?
We start in Covent Garden, once a stomping ground for street performer-turned-comedian Stuart Goldsmith, and wind our way to the unexpectedly tranquil Phoenix Garden, tucked behind the bustle of Shaftesbury Avenue. Along the way we chat about:

✨ Climate comedy – what it is, why it matters, and how not to terrify or scold your audience
 🌍 Imperfect climate action, climate confessions, and why your grubby little eco-sins are OK
 🌿 Phoenix Garden’s 41-year history as a biodiversity haven in central London
 🪴 The joy of community gardening and its power to connect people and restore wellbeing
 🐦 Birds, bugs, berries, and bins – we go full urban nature nerd (and we love it)
 📣 How YOU can help protect this vital green space under threat from development

🎧 Highlights & Takeaways
• "Comedy reflects culture – so let’s make the culture greener."
• "Don’t wait to be perfect to take climate action."
• "Volunteering is good for the garden – and even better for the soul."
• “The garden’s existence is a small act of resistance in the heart of the city.”

🌼 Support Phoenix Garden
This unique community garden needs your help to survive and thrive. Please consider donating, volunteering, or simply visiting to enjoy the space.
🔗 www.thephoenixgarden.org
📸 Instagram: @thephoenixgarden

🎤 More from our guests
• Stuart Goldsmith → sign up to his newsletter via his website for more about comedy, climate and communication
• Louise Gates → Catch her at the Phoenix Garden doing everything from event planning to pruning
• Emily Langston → Co-host & ranger with London National Park City

🪕 Also featuring:
 • A visit from Emily’s sister, some very excited birdwatching
 • An Inconvenient Time – Stuart’s climate comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe

💚 About the podcast
Do London Differently explores the wild, green, and surprising sides of city life – meeting the people making London greener, healthier and wilder.

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📌 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode if you enjoyed it! Leave a comment with your favourite community garden or your climate confession – we won’t judge 😅

#LondonNationalParkCity #CommunityGardens #ClimateComedy #DoLondonDifferently #UrbanNature #PhoenixGarden #StuartGoldsmith #CoventGarden #Biodiversity #EdinburghFringe #ClimateAction #LondonPodcast

In this episode of Do London Differently, Michael Shilling sits down with explorer, geographer and campaigner Dan Raven-Ellison - the visionary behind London National Park City and the Slow Ways walking network.

Dan shares how a simple question — "What if London was a National Park?" — sparked a global movement. We talk about:
✅ The story behind London becoming the world's first National Park City
✅ The rise of Slow Ways and how it's transforming how we explore the UK
✅ Why walking is a radical act of connection, belonging, and reimagination
✅ Earth in 100 Seconds — a powerful short film showing UK land use
✅ How walking can change the way we think about space, nature, and each other

Whether you’re a city walker, nature lover, teacher, or curious mind — this episode will inspire you to go outside, walk differently, and see the world with fresh eyes.

🔗 Links below to Dan’s projects, films, and the Slow Ways network

Slow Ways Crowdfunder

See the Slow Ways progress map

You can join the National Parks Trail challenge until the end of August. Find out how to get involved

UK in 100 Seconds 

Our Director Mark Cridge interviews Kate Stockings – Trust Lead for Geography at Future Academies and London National Park City Ranger.

We have recently launched a free geography tool kit! – the resources showcase five real-world case studies from the London National Park City movement showing how we’re working to make London greener, healthier, and wilder.

The toolkit is designed to be used in the classroom for teaching urban greening, sustainable flood management & much more and we can't wait to see them in use! 

Download the Toolkit

For the first time London National Park City will be showcasing a garden visioned by Rangers and brought to life by celebrated landscape designer Yoni Carnice and contractors Cultivate London and Froglife.

During the build week we joined contractors and volunteers who are helping bring together the Aster of The Senses Garden. 

We interviewed those involved and we'll be sharing some of these conversations during the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.

This is the firth part of this mini series and we join the team from Froglife who were installing the pond. 

This episode was hosted by Ranger Emily Langston and produced by Michael Shilling.

 Explore the stories behind the garden

For the first time London National Park City will be showcasing a garden visioned by Rangers and brought to life by celebrated landscape designer Yoni Carnice and contractors Cultivate London and Froglife.

During the build week we joined contractors and volunteers who are helping bring together the Aster of The Senses Garden. 

We interviewed those involved and we'll be sharing some of these conversations during the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.

This is the forth part of this mini series and we join London National Park City Ranger Lesley Wertheimer who was part of the core garden delivery team.

Along with being a Ranger and volunteer at Stave Hill Ecological Park, beekeeper Lesley is also part of the Orchard Project.

This episode was hosted by Ranger Emily Langston and produced by Michael Shilling.

 Explore the stories behind the garden

For the first time London National Park City will be showcasing a garden visioned by Rangers and brought to life by celebrated landscape designer Yoni Carnice and contractors Cultivate London and Froglife.

During the build week we joined contractors and volunteers who are helping bring together the Aster of The Senses Garden. 

We interviewed those involved and we'll be sharing some of these conversations during the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.

This is the third part of this mini series and we join London National Park City Ranger Katie Blake who was part of the core garden delivery team.

This episode was hosted by Ranger Emily Langston and produced by Michael Shilling.

 Explore the stories behind the garden