Exploring our Patch

My granddaughter’s Year 2 class was able to visit a small section of the Thames riverside this past spring made available to school children throughout London. Not for mudlarking, but rather to explore the wildlife of the water, sky and riverbed.

There’s a dedicated programme for students called the Thames Explorer whose volunteers help the children find the creepy crwlies and mini-fish that inhabit the river. I was stunned to learn that the Thames is home to tiny shrimp — creatures which can only survive in relatively clean fresh water.