​As part of our on-going collaboration with the London Wildlife Trust at Walthamstow Wetlands (http://www.walthamstow-wetlands.org.uk/) the Hydrocitizenship team helped out at their Volunteer Roadshow (12th March 2016).
​
It was a really positive day of learning and sharing ideas with the morning involving working with members of the existing community engagement volunteer team to run our interactive research training session. In the afternoon we ran a participatory cultural mapping stall to capture the views of the many prospective volunteers that came along to find out about the project and how they could get involved.
Understanding why current and potential visitors use and value the site is really important to a project like Walthamstow Wetlands and the volunteers will be key to collating that data.  Part of that research process involves the volunteers developing a set of basic research skills around the purpose, approach, ethics, good practice and logistics of visitor surveying. To help build these skills our training session involved a range of interactive exercises including research simulation through role-play. The team got the chance to test out their new skills on Sunday when following a guided walk of the wetlands we worked as a combined research team to survey the visitors. Rachel Smith, Walthamstow Wetlands Engagement Officer, had lovely things to say about our contribution! ‘It is a pleasure to work with the Hydrocitizenship team who contributed hugely to the days’ success through research technique training and cultural mapping with the volunteers’.

Through dialogue with Love the Lea/Thames21 the idea has developed to launch the Big Lottery-funded Active Energy Project in Bow, where the outflow from part of the Three Mills heritage site will be utilized to drive a small turbine. This will in turn power an aerator that will help oxygenate the water to counteract the effects of pollution and support the survival of fish. This is a continuing collaboration with The Geezers (Age Concern, Bow) and other partners including Love the Lea/T21 and the House Mill. The project will be led by Dr. Loraine Leeson

​Lee Valley Hydrocitizenship will be engaging with local schools and communities around to bring awareness to the project.

Launch: National Mills Weekend, 14-15 May 2016

More detail: http://www.active-energy-london.org/

​The Redmond Community Centre, Woodberry Down, hosted the WinterFest on Wednesday, 9 December between 4-8pm which included free buffet, music, exhibitions and stalls of different organisations working/interested in the area. The festival run by the Woodberry Down Community Organisation (WDCO), supported by Heritage Lottery funding and attracted over 400 local residents and community members in the neighbourhood. Lee Valley-Hydrocitizenship team hosted a cultural mapping stall during the festival. The results of the study will be published in our website soon. 

The Hydrocitizenship project has also been published in December Woodberry Down News inviting locals to share their experience and views on water spaces around Woodberry Down. 
​

Prof. Graeme Evans and Dr. Ozlem Edizel will be presenting 'Hydrocitizenship: Connecting Communities in the Lower Lee Valley' at the next London Legacies Group Seminar on the 25th November 2015, 5.30 - 7.30 at London Legacy Development Corporation (Level 10 / 1 Stratford Place, Montfichet Road London E20 1EJ)

Enquiries to johnfranklinlock@gmail.com

RSVP to troyscott@londonlegacy.co.uk


Hydrocitizenship: Connecting Communities in the Lower Lee Valley​

The Lee Valley Hydrocitizenship project focuses on London’s ‘second river’ and regional park, stretching from the home counties north of London to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and major regeneration sites. This 3 year AHRC-funded project aims to investigate and make creative contributions to the ways in which citizens and communities live with each other and their environment in relation to water, in a range of sites (as well as the Lee Valley, in Bristol, Borth/Wales and Bradford/Shipley). 

The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is presented to Londoners as an urban and environmental asset and legacy following the 2012 Games. The Park is located in the middle of a rich urban and environmental history. There is an open space floodplain to the north of the Park, defined by Hackney and Walthamstow Marshes, and further north, the ecological wildlife area of Walthamstow Wetlands, while the Lower Lea Valley represents an established and developing industrial zone with a legacy of manufacturing and water engineering structures ranging from the 18th century tidal mill at Three Mills to the Trinity Buoy Wharf lighthouse. Around Bow, Hackney Wick and Fish Island there are a high concentration of artists and creative industries firms under pressure from further land use development, whilst the waterways now host a growing boat dweller population. This area, post the London 2012 Olympics, is set to increase in population fourfold as new urban villages are built and new communities are established over the next 10-15 years.

Following a detailed scoping of the Lee Valley landscape and governance, this work has involved engagement with local communities and stakeholders, using cultural mapping, observation, surveys and events/festivals, with water-based ‘citizen science’ initiatives and community-environment orientated art works planned as part of a critical reflection on the nature of ‘hydro’ citizenship when they re-imagined from an ecological perspective. The seminar will present our findings to date and proposals for further engagement.

More information on the project is available at: www.leevalley.org and www.hydrocitizenship.com

Lambeth Floating Marsh is an art/science collaboration between artist Loraine Leeson and biophysical chemist Nithin Rai,with support from University of Westminster’s Faculty of Science and Technology.

 
On the evening of 15th September 2015, Lambeth Floating Marsh was opened by Professor Geoff Petts, Vice Chancellor of University of Westminster. Loraine Leeson and Nithin Rai described the project, while Chris Coode, Deputy Chief Executive of the environmental organization Thames21, provided an overview of the challenges and opportunities for wildlife along the urban reaches of the Thames.

The project aims to support biodiversity along the River Thames by providing habitat for microorganisms and invertebrates to support the return of wildlife where urban riverbanks have been replaced with hard, vertical walls. 

In September 2015 large scale images of river organisms were projected along the Thames embankment in London to draw attention to the importance of supporting biodiversity along urban rivers. This arts/science collaboration between artist Loraine Leeson and scientist Nithin Rai includes new reed bed habitat for micro organisms and invertebrates in long basket structures attached to the hull of the Dutch barge Tamesis Dock. Projections along the embankment pavement by Tames Dock will continue after dark until 24th September 2015.


Find out more at www.lambethfloatingmarsh.org.uk

Love the Lea and Thames 21 will be celebrating the wonderful rivers of the Lea Valley on Sunday, 23rd of August and the Lee Valley- Hydrocitizenship team will be joining with a cultural mapping stall at the festival site.

There will be live music from The Wave Pictures, Darren Hayman, The Bonfire Band Noah Kelly and more....

We've Interesting talks from the The London Sound Survey, workshops from Rob St.John, Author Gareth E. Rees reading 'Marshland', river themed games, and craft activities. 

Plus the Love the Lea team will be providing pond dipping, water quality testing, our underwater camera, games and information! 

Food from Club Mexicana, beers from Redemption Brewing, and cakes from the East End W.I! 

FREE - no tickets required 

Walthamstow Marshes Picnic Area 
Sunday 23rd August 2015 
11am - 7pm

Site location https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zAQTucugMoXM.kvkOLotFvG-c&usp=sharing 
Facebook invitation https://www.facebook.com/events/867619369951266

Love the Lea is a Thames21 campaign to save the rivers of the Lea Catchment. 

Thames21 is London's leading waterway charity. 
Registered Charity 1103997

Ozlem

To read more by Ozlem visit her page on Hydrocitizens.

Hydrocitizenship Project celebrated the 10th anniversary festival of AHRC-Connected Communities and London Festival of Architecture at Hackney Wick & Fish Island on the 26-28 June 2015. Diverse events, exhibitions, workshops and talks took place including Middlesex University exhibition of Interior Architecture & Design student schemes at Hub 67, Lee Valley Hydrocitizenship Project cultural mapping outside Hackney Pearl, Creative Factories exhibition at See Studio, Wick Session on community land trust at Stour Space, screening of the Long Good Friday film at the Mother Gallery, DEN-City 1 curated by Rebecca Feiner at Forman's Yard, Open Studios and many more. 

Hydrocitizenship project outdoor stall was one of the liveliest areas of the festival. Over 40 people took part in the cultural mapping study which aimed to make creative contributions to the ways citizens and communities live with each other and their environment in relation to water. Detailed analysis and results report will be available on our website soon. Some preliminary analysis is available below. Also the posters explaining the Hydrocitizenship project were presented during the festival and they are still on display at the Hub 67 in Hackney Wick (the posters are available at the Documents). You can find more pictures from the festival in the Gallery.

Hydrocitizenship Connected Communities project is making creative contributions to the ways citizens and communities live with each other and their environment in relation to water. Hear about the Lee Valley case study and have your say on your neighbourhood and local water ecosystems. We will have stanlls in Hub 67 and in front of Hackney Pearl on the 27 and 28 June from 11am to 5pm.

Yesterday stated as a dark, rainy day but later in the afternoon it turned out to be very sunny and pleasant which made it possible to enjoy the gardening event at the Hub 67 even more. Hub 67 is the new focal point for residents, hosting events, classes and community groups in Hackney Wick. Groundwork community team and local residents helped to create small hubs of planting around the building followed by a lovely tea break and delicious cakes. Thanks to Sally Anthony, Manager at Hub 67, for her invite and being a great host.