About us

The Wandle Trust is an environmental charity dedicated to restoring and maintaining the health of the River Wandle and its catchment.

Thanks to the hard work of our many volunteers, and the generous support of sponsors such as Thames Water, the river is now being restored to its former glory as one of the world’s great chalkstreams.

We hold community river cleanups on the second Sunday of every month, up and down this unique urban chalkstream – pulling out everything from shopping trolleys to shotguns, and improving the environment for birds, fish, insects and local people.

We’re also helping to re-engage children with their home environment through our annual Trout in the Classroom project, which has featured for several years in succession on the BBC’s London Newsround. (However, we are now working completely separately from Alan Suttie).

As Thames Water’s nominated lead partner in the Living Wandle project, and as a member of the Association of Rivers Trusts, we’re taking our responsibilities to our supporters and stakeholders extremely seriously. 

Here’s how we aim to achieve our aspirations for the Wandle, over the next 5 years and beyond:

• Education: across the Wandle catchment, show children and adults the value of a healthy river, what it looks like, and how to achieve it
• Engagement: across the Wandle catchment, involve and communicate with local people, to generate empowerment, ownership and sustainable community stewardship for the River Wandle
• Physical improvement: enhance and maximise the River Wandle’s habitats, biodiversity and ecological sustainability
• Partnership and facilitation: form strong, sustainable partnerships with other strategic organisations concerned with the health of the River Wandle, and facilitate the achievement of our common goals

Our aims are for the Wandle to achieve Good Ecological Potential (in line with the aims of the Water Framework Directive), with a view to later attaining Good Ecological Status; and for the Wandle catchment to set international standards for urban community-driven sustainability and environmental excellence. 

Naturally, we’re extremely grateful to everyone who shares our ambitions for the River Wandle, and helps us in any way to achieve these goals! 

Click here to find out about the different ways you can support us.