Talk of the Thames – Details, episodes & analysis

What changes when you see London from the water?

In this episode of Talk of the Thames, Chloe Russell speaks with author and paddleboarder Anu Aladin (@mysupstories) about her new book Paddle London - a guide to 40 paddle routes across London’s rivers, canals, docks and reservoirs.

After more than a decade of paddling in the capital, Anu describes the Thames as a place of local adventure, hidden nature and moving meditation. From early morning paddles under Hammersmith Bridge to fish surveys at Syon Park’s tidal meadow, this conversation explores what stand-up paddleboarding reveals about London’s waterways - and why the Thames deserves to be better protected, celebrated and understood.

Together, Chloe and Anu discuss Blue Mind, river wildlife, access to the water, responsible paddling, tides, soundscapes, safety, sewage, community, and the joy of discovering wilderness closer than you think.

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Talk of the Thames has been brought to you by the Thames Estuary Partnership https://www.thamesestuarypartnership.org/

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Produced & Presented by Chloe Russell

The Thames is a time capsule—and mudlarks are the storytellers. Join Chloe at the London Museum for Secrets of the Thames: Mudlarking London’s Lost Treasures. With curators Kate Sumnall and Thomas Ardill, we uncover extraordinary objects lost and found on the foreshore, from ancient tools to modern relics. A must-listen for history lovers, Londoners, and anyone curious about what the river reveals.

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Talk of the Thames has been brought to you by the Thames Estuary Partnership https://www.thamesestuarypartnership.org/

Keep up to date with TEP on all platforms!
Twitter: @ThamesEstPart
Facebook: @thamesestuarypartnership
Instagram: @thamesestuarypartnership
YouTube: @thamesestuarypartnership 

Produced & Presented by Chloe Russell

Welcome back to a truly immersive episode of "Talk of the Thames"! On this special occasion of World Ocean Day, join us on a captivating journey along the River Thames, as we explore the beauty and wonder of London from the perspective of a paddleboarder. To achieve the full benefit of this immersive episode, we highly recommend listening to this episode with headphones on, in a quiet place.

Our paddleboarder, Wanda Bodnar, also TEP's Data and Training Manager takes us on an intimate adventure from Kew Bridge to Richmond. As you listen, you'll be transported to the water's edge, where the gentle lapping of waves and the melodies of birds create a serene ambiance. Experience the rhythmic tales of the paddle hitting the water, echoing the rhythm of Wanda's journey.

This episode goes beyond the immersive soundscape. We sit down with Wanda for an intimate interview, where she shares her personal connection to the river and her passion for protecting our precious waterways. Gain firsthand insights into the magic of paddleboarding and Wanda's deep connection with the Thames.

But there's more! We have an exciting announcement for World Ocean Day. The Thames Estuary Partnership is launching a new course, "Introduction to the Thames Estuary." This course is open to everyone interested in learning about the history, biology, and ecology of the Thames.

We extend our sincere thanks to Paul Hyman and his company, Active360, for providing their top-notch paddleboarding equipment. We had the privilege of sitting down with Paul to discuss his deep connection to the Thames and his commitment to environmental sustainability. Paul shared his insights into the importance of preserving our waterways and his company's efforts to promote responsible paddleboarding experiences. Read the full interview on our website.

If you're inspired by Wanda's journey and want to experience a Thames Natural History paddleboarding tour, visit the Active360 website for more information. As we conclude this immersive episode, we invite you to cherish our ocean and waterways and take action in protecting them. Happy World Ocean Day!

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Talk of the Thames has been brought to you by the Thames Estuary Partnership https://www.thamesestuarypartnership.org/

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTV3IorpF7Qb9Sp673221jg


Produced by Chloe Russell and Ben Imber, Presented by Chloe Russell.

In this episode of Talk of the Thames, Sustainability Director Richard Aylard discusses his journey, the Thames Tideway Tunnel project and Thames Water's global efforts to combat climate change.

Welcome back to another episode of Talk of the Thames where we are thrilled to have Richard Aylard, the Sustainability Director at Thames Water, as our special guest.  In this interview, we will be discussing Richard's journey to becoming a Sustainability Director,  highlights of his work including the seeing the Thames Tideway Tunnel project come to afoot, and the work Thames Water are doing not only locally but globally in terms of climate change.

The Thames Tideway Tunnel is a vital infrastructure project that aims to improve the health of the River Thames by preventing millions of tonnes of untreated sewage from overflowing into the river each year. Richard explains the reasoning behind the tunnel, drawing us back to The Great Stink, and tells us about future prospects of the tunnel's design including sensors.

This is a must-listen episode for anyone interested in sustainability, infrastructure projects, and climate change. Tune in to hear from one of the leading experts in the field and learn more about the work being done to create a more sustainable future.

This conversation features questions from the public, to be involved with future episodes please our Producer Chloe Russell on chloe.russell@ucl.ac.uk otherwise you can Tweet us on our Twitter.

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Talk of the Thames has been brought to you by the Thames Estuary Partnership https://www.thamesestuarypartnership.org/

Socials:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThamesEstPart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thamesestuarypartnership/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thamesestuarypartnership/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTV3IorpF7Qb9Sp673221jg


Produced and Presented by Chloe Russell.

Back after a short break, we bring Giles Tofield to the stage to talk to us about his work at The Cultural Engine. In this episode we explore what projects The Cultural Engine have worked on, including the North Thames Fisheries Local Action Group (NTFLAG) programme which TEP was involved in; what the future has in store; and the value of storytelling within community and local economy led projects.

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Talk of the Thames has been brought to you by the Thames Estuary Partnership https://www.thamesestuarypartnership.org/

Socials:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThamesEstPart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thamesestuarypartnership/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thamesestuarypartnership/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTV3IorpF7Qb9Sp673221jg


Produced and presented by Chloe Russell.

What is the Blue Connections project? In todays episode we're joined by our Technical Director Amy Pryor, Data and Training Manager Wanda Bodnar, and Learning and Engagement Manager Yomi Odunlami, who are leading the project. Find out how and why Blue Connections arose within Thames Estuary Partnership and how they plan to unveil the project to new participants. 

To find out more information about Blue Connections please visit https://www.thamesestuarypartnership.org/blue-connections 
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Talk of the Thames has been brought to you by the Thames Estuary Partnership https://www.thamesestuarypartnership.org/

Socials:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThamesEstPart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thamesestuarypartnership/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thamesestuarypartnership/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTV3IorpF7Qb9Sp673221jg


Produced and Presented by Chloe Russell.

Come and join us for an immersive guided walk around the Greenwich Peninsula as we explore the lesser-known environmental past and present of London's famous river.

Your guides are Thames Estuary Partnership's Data & Training Manager Wanda Bodnar and Technical Director Amy Pryor.

This episode was recorded on 17th September on our 'A short intro to the Thames Estuary - guided walk' event as part of the Totally Thames Festival.  

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Talk of the Thames has been brought to you by the Thames Estuary Partnership https://www.thamesestuarypartnership.org/

Socials:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThamesEstPart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thamesestuarypartnership/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thamesestuarypartnership/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTV3IorpF7Qb9Sp673221jg


Produced and Presented by Chloe Russell.

Have you noticed people on the foreshore of the River Thames with their heads down searching for something? Have you ever wondered what they could possibly find? In this episode we address what this activity is - it is none other than mudlarking! And we have none other than River Thames mudlarking enthusiast Lara Maiklem telling us about all things mudlarking.

Lara is a British author, editor and publishing consultant known for her writing and speaking on mudlarking, she is also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. One of her books, 'Mudlarking Lost and Found In The River Thames' was awarded Sunday Times Bestseller, an Observer Book Of The Year, Radio 4 Book Of The Week and Winner of the 2020 Indie Book Award for Non-Fiction.

Join us as we dig and delve into the world of mudlarking and Lara's personal anecdotes on how she fell in love it!

Correction at 26:00: There is no known colony of seahorses near the Greenwich Peninsula. It is most likely, however, that seahorses live in the part of the Thames Estuary where there are flooded areas of saltmarsh and seagrass meadows. The one’s seen in the river or on the foreshore in the city are those that get washed upstream with the incoming tide. 

This episode was recorded in February 2022. 

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Talk of the Thames has been brought to you by the Thames Estuary Partnership https://www.thamesestuarypartnership.org/

Socials:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThamesEstPart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thamesestuarypartnership/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thamesestuarypartnership/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTV3IorpF7Qb9Sp673221jg

Produced and Presented by Chloe Russell.

Join us for another exciting episode of Talk of The Thames where we chat with Kelly Sporn, Sustainability Lawyer and  Post Graduate Student at Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership. In this conversation we learn about what Kelly gets up to as a Sustainability Lawyer, how she became interested in the field, and the challenges she and other Sustainability Lawyers face. We also learn about the exciting and prestigious Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership at the Cambridge Institute that Kelly is half way in completing.
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Talk of the Thames has been brought to you by the Thames Estuary Partnership https://www.thamesestuarypartnership.org/

Socials:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThamesEstPart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thamesestuarypartnership/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thamesestuarypartnership/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTV3IorpF7Qb9Sp673221jg

Produced and Presented by Chloe Russell.

Have you heard of the term 'blue mind'? Perhaps it's something you are all too familiar with unconsciously, and never thought about before. Do you enjoy being in, around, near, or under water? There is ample amount of research telling us why that could be the case. Join us as we speak with Author Dr. Wallace J Nichols about his research of why being around water makes us happier and more connected. 

Find out more about Dr. Nichols' work on https://www.wallacejnichols.org/104/about-j.html 

We wish you water. Celebrate World Blue Mind Day on July 23rd. Share your story using the #bluemind hashtag.

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Talk of the Thames has been brought to you by the Thames Estuary Partnership https://www.thamesestuarypartnership.org/

Socials:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThamesEstPart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thamesestuarypartnership/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thamesestuarypartnership/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTV3IorpF7Qb9Sp673221jg

Produced and Presented by Chloe Russell.