Do London Differently by London National Park City

Episode summary: Michael Shilling talks to Dr Tom Cohen, Reader in Transport Policy at the University of Westminster, about the London Walking Festival Conference 2026, the work of the Active Travel Academy, the evolving language of "walking and wheeling," road safety, delivery riders as the new folk devil, and why Disney World might be the most walkable place on earth.

Guest: Dr Tom Cohen, Reader in Transport Policy, Active Travel Academy, University of Westminster

Recorded: May 2026

Key topics covered:

London Walking Festival Conference 2026: Friday 15 May, University of Westminster Marylebone campus, 10am to 6.30pm. Free. Organised by the Active Travel Academy in association with Footways.

Conference speakers and programme: Keynote from author Iain Sinclair. Panel with Morag Rose, Harriet Thomas, Katie Penwick, and Syra Nisey. Participatory workshops on art, research, and campaigning. Afternoon panel featuring Andrew Gilligan, Councillor Rowena Champion, Steve Gooding (RAC Foundation), and Bronwyn Thornton (Walk21 Foundation), chaired by David Harrison. Showcase of London walking schemes including Regent Street, Silvertown Way, and Camden projects at Holborn and Bloomsbury.

Walking and wheeling terminology: Why the active travel community has adopted the phrase. How it promotes inclusivity and higher standards in public realm design. Katie Pennick's choice to use "walking" as a wheelchair user.

The Active Travel Academy: Founded in 2019, directed by Professor Rachel Aldred. Research on low traffic neighbourhoods, the Propensity to Cycle Tool, the Near Miss Project, and the Travel Well project. Open-access journal Active Travel Studies with lay summaries.

Safety and walking: The difference between collision safety and personal safety. Why people feel deterred from walking by dark or lonely streets. The role of "eyes on the street." Michael's Disney World comparison.

Delivery riders and road justice: Why riders have become the latest folk devil. Precarious working conditions in the gig economy. The need to address systemic problems rather than blame individuals.

Current research: The Hierarchy of Road Users and whether it has changed behaviour since its 2022 introduction to the Highway Code. A new Active Travel England-funded project on level of service, aiming to compare the experience of walking versus driving on the same street.

Links:

Book your free ticket to the London Walking Festival Conference: https://www.ticketsource.com/active-travel-academy-university-of-westminster/london-walking-festival-conference-2026/e-jzqvjr

London Walking Festival: https://nationalparkcity.london/london-walking-festival

Active Travel Academy, University of Westminster: https://www.westminster.ac.uk/research/groups-and-centres/active-travel-academy

Footways: https://footways.london

Active Travel Studies journal: https://activetravelstudies.org

Walk21 Foundation: https://walk21.com

There's a Walk for That podcast (Harriet Thomas): search on your podcast platform

London National Park City: https://nationalparkcity.london

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Michael is joined by Paul Wood, co-founder of the Urban Tree Festival and author of Tree Hunting, and Sarah Hayes, festival director and public artist, for a conversation about the festival's ninth year, its new home at Art Hub Studios in New Cross, and the growing movement to celebrate and protect London's urban trees.

Key topics

The origins of the Urban Tree Festival, growing out of the GLA's London Tree Week in 2017. The festival's growth during lockdown from a three-day weekend to a nine-day programme. The transition to a Community Interest Company (CIC) in December 2024. This year's first-ever physical base at Art Hub Studios, New Cross. The Urban Forest art exhibition with 65+ submissions. Paul's Tree Hunting walks in North and South London. Peter Coles' always-sold-out mulberry tree walks. Community Stewardship of Trees panel discussion at Camelford House, 13 May. The Grapefruit Tree heritage walk in Battersea. The Happy Man Tree film screening in Vauxhall. Partnerships with the Woodland Trust, Trees for Cities, City of London Corporation, and Street Trees for Living. Goldsmiths University student internship programme. Events for City of London housing estate residents with Age UK. International and online events reaching beyond London. Fruit tree harvesting and the London National Park City training programme. The dream of a borough-based festival model for the 10th anniversary. Self-guided tree walk resources including Go Jauntly, Tree Talk and Footways. Tree-themed meditations opening and closing the festival with Mel Sutton.

Urban Tree Festival: urbantreefestival.org

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A special roundtable edition recorded at the London National Park City Visitor Centre, 80 Mortimer Street, London

In this episode, London National Park City director Mark Cridge sits down with four community food growing leaders to explore how the Right to Grow movement is taking root across the capital. From housing estates in Tower Hamlets to empty greenhouses in Newham, the conversation covers why Londoners need greater access to land for food growing, what it takes to start a community garden from scratch, and how the campaign is building political momentum borough by borough.

Guests

Kalpana Arias, co-organiser, Right to Grow London Network Victoria (Tori) Sherwin, director, Incredible Edible Lambeth Carmen Ho, Right to Grow Tower Hamlets Selene, Transition Newham and Right to Grow Newham

What we talk about

The Right to Grow as a policy framework: what it asks of councils and why it matters for London's food security. The barriers communities face when trying to access public land for growing, from complex leases and absent points of contact to fear among councils of losing development potential. The tension between housing need and green space access, particularly in boroughs like Tower Hamlets. How food growing connects people across cultures and generations, from Bangladeshi grandmothers sharing growing knowledge to nursery children planting their first seeds. The role of seed swaps, cookbooks and walking tours in drawing new people into the movement. Why food growing belongs in the school curriculum. The intersection between food growing, biodiversity, wellbeing and London's identity as a National Park City. What success looks like in five years: every London borough adopting or working towards a Right to Grow policy, dedicated funding for community food growing, and training programmes to support new garden leaders.

Links

Right to Grow campaign (Incredible Edible): incredibleedible.org.uk/what-we-do/right-to-grow Right to Grow London Network sign-up: capitalgrowth.org Capital Growth (London's food growing network): capitalgrowth.org Incredible Edible Lambeth: incredibleediblelambeth.org Incredible Edible Lambeth Right to Grow page: incredibleediblelambeth.org/right-to-grow-campaign Southwark Council Right to Grow announcement: southwark.gov.uk London Assembly recommends Right to Grow (April 2025): incredibleedible.org.uk/news/london-assembly-recommends-right-to-grow We Are Grow (Barnet farm): wearegrow.org London National Park City: nationalparkcity.london Do London Differently Podcast (all episodes): nationalparkcity.london/podcast Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/7xzEmzAQ8L94xI2V9qOGMq

Credits

Hosted by Mark Cridge. Filmed and produced by Michael Shilling. Recorded at the London National Park City Visitor Centre, Westminster.

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Lola May sits down with Hana Sutch, founder of the walking app Go Jauntly, for a conversation about the joy of getting lost in London, the hidden histories you can discover on foot, and why the UK is one of the least nature-connected countries in the world.
They cover:
🚶 Why urban walks are the best walks (and how to start if you're not a confident walker)
🗺️ The French art of flânerie and discovering London on your own terms
🚂 Go Jauntly's TfL Overground walking tours along the Windrush, Suffragette and Mildmay lines
🌊 London's lost rivers and the stories hidden in place names
♿ Accessibility barriers that most walkers never notice
🌿 Why the UK is nature-depleted despite its green spaces
🏫 The case for greening school playgrounds


🔗 Explore Go Jauntly's walks: https://gojauntly.com
🔗 Learn more about London National Park City: https://www.nationalparkcity.london

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London isn’t just a city with parks, it’s a city that is wild.

In this episode of Do London Differently, host Michael Shilling is joined by Kassondra Cloos, author of An Opinionated Guide to Wild London, published by Hoxton Mini Press. We talk about the hidden places that make you feel miles from the capital without ever leaving it, from reed beds behind King’s Cross to wetlands near The O2.

We also get into the bigger picture, how brownfield sites become brilliant habitats, why walking culture feels so different in the UK vs the US, and how getting onto the water (kayak, SUP, canoe) can completely rewire your relationship with the city. Expect foxes at sunrise, herons on the canal, and a few practical ideas for turning “nature appreciation” into “nature participation”.

Mentioned in this episode

Camley Street Natural Park (King’s Cross)
Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park (near The O2)
RSPB Rainham Marshes and London’s transformation stories
Hampstead Heath, Green Chain Walk, Capital Ring
Slow Ways, Right to Roam, access, and why tiny gates tell big stories
Leaside Trust, paddling on the River Lea, and finding adventure in London

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In this episode, we hear from Aneel, a member of Heston Action Group, volunteer at Heston Community Garden, and National Park City Ranger. He talks about being there from the early days of the garden, helping create its wildlife pond, and seeing it become home to newts and other species.

Aneel also shares the story behind Moth Night, an event designed to bring people into the garden and help them learn about local wildlife, sometimes without even realising it. It is a conversation about curiosity, community, and how learning more about nature can change the way we see the places around us.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The early days of Heston Community Garden
• Creating a wildlife pond and seeing nature return
• Organising Moth Night as a community event
• Why moths deserve a better reputation
• Education, local action and connecting people with nearby nature
• Different perspectives on nature and community
• Why curiosity is such a powerful starting point

Featured guest:
Aneel, Heston Action Group, Heston Community Garden volunteer, and National Park City Ranger

Quote from the episode:
“The more you learn about something, the more you scratch the surface, the more there is to it, and the more fascinating and interesting it becomes.”

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Football is community, identity, ritual, and emotion at scale. It also has a footprint, from travel to sponsorship to tournament design. Recorded live at Nature of Things, A Salon for the curious mind, this episode is a practical, honest Q&A between Lola May (Paddington Development Trust) and Dan Hall (Football for Future) on what “sustainable football” could actually look like, and how fans, clubs, and players can help shift the game.

IN THIS EPISODE
- The projects that inspired Dan most, and why local, community-led work matters
- “There is no apolitical sport”, and what football teaches us about power and values
- The money question, what could football fund if it tried?
- Common Goal, and how 1 percent pledges can unlock real change
- Fans and supporters’ trusts, how asking the right questions can move clubs
- Player influence, especially among young supporters
- The hardest contradictions, sponsorship, travel emissions, and sportswashing
- Concrete actions listeners can take this week

LINKS AND REFERENCES
London National Park City
https://nationalparkcity.london/a-salon-for-curious-minds-football-and-climate-change

Football for Future:
https://footballforfuture.org/

Common Goal:
https://www.common-goal.org/

Move for the Planet:
https://www.common-goal.org/Project/Details/Move-for-the-Planet

Fossil Free Football:
https://www.fossilfreefootball.org/

Suggested further reading:
Wolves, One Pack One Planet:
https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/sustainability/20250318-one-pack-one-planet-green-football-2025/

TAKE ACTION
1) Check your club’s website, is there a sustainability plan?
2) If not, write and ask. If yes, ask what’s next, what’s measured, and who leads it.
3) Get involved with fan groups or supporters’ trusts, evidence and collective voice matter.
4) Push on travel, because it’s both a fan experience issue and a carbon issue.

CREDITS
Host, Lola May, Paddington Development Trust
Guest, Dan Hall, Football for Future
Recorded live at Nature of Things, A Salon for the curious mind

TAGS

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Put your earphones on, step outside, and notice what most people glide past: who can actually get here.

In this interview, I’m joined by Hounslow Ranger Tarek Mrad, who’s delivering a clear message: accessibility has to be built, not just said. Tarek shares why many green spaces still aren’t properly wheelchair accessible, why transport is often the biggest barrier (sometimes starting at the bus stop), and what his survey revealed about everyday access challenges in Hounslow.

We also talk about what happens when you design events with access in mind, including one standout moment when a participant who doesn’t usually speak began communicating at Tarek’s event. With councillors attending, growing local interest, and the council asking about funding future sessions, Tarek’s ambition is expanding: more accessibility-focused events that include transport for a wide range of needs, and even a regular monthly group for disabled residents to share experiences and keep accessibility on the agenda.

This is an episode about practical change, stubborn hope, and the difference between saying “accessible” and making it real.

If you’re in Hounslow (or beyond) and care about inclusive access to nature, please like, comment, and share, and tell us what would make local green spaces genuinely reachable for you.

See Tarek's Project Accessibility to Nature

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London gets reimagined as a virtual orchard stitched together by back gardens, street trees, parks, and the people willing to show up with a long pole and a tarpaulin.

You’ll hear how the Kensal to Kilburn Fruit Harvesters built a pickers list, gained access to hundreds of local gardens, and turned seasonal harvests into community benefit, from food bank donations to juice pressing, jam making, chutney workshops, and even school enterprise projects. (Brent Council)

Alongside that, Fruity Walks brings a different lens: mapping and guiding walks to find fruit trees across London, including the unexpected, like avocado, pomegranate, lemon, persimmon, and more. (London National Park City)

We also drop into Granville Community Kitchen in South Kilburn to explore what “good food” means during and after the pandemic, and why hyper-local, chemical-free fruit matters when you’re supporting people in crisis. (granvillecommunitykitchen.org.uk)

Guests and voices

• Michael Stuart – organiser, Kensal to Kilburn Fruit Harvesters (also part of Transition Town Kensal to Kilburn activity). (wemakecamden.org.uk)
• Divya Hariramani Herrero – creator of Fruity Walks, London National Park City Ranger (Ranger since 2021). (London National Park City)
• Leslie – Granville Community Kitchen (South Kilburn) team member, speaking about food aid, community meals, and longer-term empowerment through food. (granvillecommunitykitchen.org.uk)
• Dee Woods – referenced in conversation as a key figure in food justice and community cooking. (Good Food)
• Paul Wood – referenced for the line “London is a forest”, and for his writing and tree walks. (Penguin)

What you’ll take away

• Fruit harvesting is simple, but not simplistic: pole, hook, shake, tarpaulin, sort, share. Then comes the real craft: permissions, organising volunteers, storing info, and building trust street by street.
• Back gardens are social infrastructure: fruit trees become conversation starters, memory portals, and neighbourhood glue.
• Street harvests are public theatre: drivers slow down, windows open, questions fly, fruit gets handed out, and suddenly the idea spreads.
• Food waste meets food justice: local surplus fruit can move fast from tree to community kitchen, supporting emergency provision and community meals.
• Replication is the point: the episode points towards training, templates, equipment support, and helping more neighbourhoods start their own harvest groups.

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Football is the world’s biggest cultural language, and climate change is the biggest challenge we face. In this live Nature of Things salon (Paddington Development Trust), Dan Hall, Communications Manager at Football for Future, explores what happens when those two worlds collide.

Dan shares why football is such a powerful place to shift attitudes, how extreme weather is already disrupting matches and grassroots pitches, and how football itself contributes to emissions through travel, infrastructure, kits and sponsorship. He also unpacks what “sustainable football” could look like, from better tournament planning and fan travel, to club-led community action and player climate leadership.

We also dive into Football for Future’s work with clubs and players, the adidas Move for the Planet project, and the landmark Pitches in Peril report, which maps climate risk for football ahead of the 2026 Men’s World Cup.

Paddington Development Trust Presents - Nature of Things - A Salon for Curious Minds.  Supported by Mason & Firth

Links and projects mentioned:
Football for Future - https://footballforfuture.org/
Pitches in Peril - https://footballforfuture.org/pitchesinperil
Fields of Change handbook - https://footballforfuture.org/fieldsofchange
Move for the Planet (Common Goal) - https://www.common-goal.org/Project/Details/Move-for-the-Planet
Met Office, football and climate change - https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/getclimateready/football
Green Football - https://greenfootball.org/
Pledgeball - https://pledgeball.org/
Fossil Free Football - https://fossilfreefootball.org/

Follow:
 Football for Future (Instagram) - https://www.instagram.com/ftblforfuture/

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