Thames21 receives vital COVID-19 funding from the Garfield Weston Foundation

Thames21 has received a grant for core funding from the Garfield Weston Foundation to enable it to continue its work during and after the COVID-19 crisis.

Thames21 works with volunteers to deliver its mission of connecting London’s communities with their rivers in order to deliver sustainable healthy rivers and catchments across London and beyond, at the same time bringing wellbeing benefits and social cohesion to communities. Its activities and therefore funding have been critically affected by the restrictions on working in groups and travelling to river locations around London.

‘The ongoing lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic has made the importance of London’s blue and green spaces clearer than ever’

Thames21’s Chief Executive, Debbie Leach, said:

‘As London’s residents start to recover from the disruptive and traumatic effects of the pandemic, the need to reconnect people meaningfully to these blue/green spaces, to restore wellbeing and inclusion through social and community-based activities, will be acute. The ongoing lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic has made the importance of London’s blue and green spaces clearer than ever.’

‘We are grateful to the Garfield Weston Foundation for their support of Thames21’s work, which will be needed more than ever as restrictions lift. It will help to ensure that Thames21 will be able to continue to help communities, reconnecting them with London’s rivers and with each other, working together to rebuild London’s social and environmental resilience.’