What is Wandle Fortnight?
Wandle Fortnight is an annual celebration of the River Wandle and the communities that surround it.
For two weeks, organisations and community groups across the Wandle Valley run activities that help people discover its wildlife, heritage and green spaces.
The River Wandle flows through Croydon, Sutton, Merton and Wandsworth before joining the Thames. Despite flowing through one of the most urban parts of the country, it is a rare chalk stream and an important corridor for wildlife and people.
This Wandle Fortnight, we’re inviting local people to get involved in caring for the river while sharing some of the work happening to create a healthier Wandle for the future.
Help restore the river at Culvers Avenue
Join the South East Rivers Trust’s river restoration volunteers and help us improve this stretch of the River Wandle.
Our work at Culvers Avenue is helping to create a more natural, varied river where wildlife can thrive. During Wandle Fortnight, you can get directly involved and see river restoration in action.
No previous experience is needed. Our team will provide guidance, equipment and everything you need to take part.
Volunteer with us at Morden Hall Park
We’re also joining forces with the National Trust and its volunteers at Morden Hall Park, where the River Wandle winds through wetlands, meadows and historic parkland.
Together, we’ll be giving this important stretch of river some hands-on care and helping improve its habitats for wildlife.
Morden Hall Park sits at the heart of the Wandle Valley and provides valuable wetland and riverside habitats within urban south London.
Creating a greener corridor along the Wandle
The River Wandle is a 23.5km chalk stream flowing through Croydon, Sutton, Merton and Wandsworth before joining the Thames.
Along its route, the river connects a ribbon of parks, green spaces and the Wandle Trail, creating an important corridor for both wildlife and people. Together, these spaces form the Wandle Valley Regional Park.
The South East Rivers Trust is one of the partners involved in a wider programme to help strengthen these connections.
With £650,000 of funding from the Mayor of London, the National Trust is working with the London Boroughs of Croydon, Sutton, Merton and Wandsworth, the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, the South East Rivers Trust, Living Proof, Wandle Valley Forum, the Environment Agency and Wandle Valley Regional Park Trust.
Together, the partnership is working to:
- enhance the Wandle Trail
- improve access to the River Wandle and its connected green spaces
- engage local communities and young people
- help shape a long-term vision and plan for the Wandle Valley Regional Park
For the South East Rivers Trust, this work connects closely with our wider aim to create healthier, better-connected river habitats across the Wandle catchment.
The Wandle supports rare chalk stream habitat and species including brown trout and kingfishers, while its parks and riverside spaces give people valuable opportunities to experience nature in the heart of south London.
Wandle Fortnight is a chance to celebrate that bigger picture: bringing together river restoration, access, green spaces and community involvement to help create a healthier Wandle corridor for the future.
Why the Wandle needs our help
The River Wandle has undergone an extraordinary transformation.
Once heavily modified and affected by industry, decades of restoration have helped wildlife return and improved many stretches of the river. But the Wandle still faces pressure from pollution, urban development, modified river channels and the effects of climate change.
We work with communities and partners across the catchment to restore more natural river habitats, improve connectivity, increase resilience and help people play an active part in looking after their local river.
