Three years ago, London’s largest urban wetland nature reserve opened to the public for the first time, thanks to a £4.5 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Walthamstow Wetlands is also a fully operational Thames Water site comprising 10 large reservoirs which provide water to 3.5 million people across the capital.

Since it opened to the general public in October 2017 Walthamstow Wetlands has been visited more than a million times. It was, and still is, only possible due to a partnership between Thames Water, Waltham Forest Council and London Wildlife Trust, with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Greater London Authority and others.

Just 15 minutes from the heart of London, the reserve is free to visit and provides home and shelter to a wide range of wildlife, from rare waterfowl to birds of prey. This 211-hectare nature reserve is an international, European and nationally important reserve for waterfowl in the Lea Valley.

Kirsty Halford, Thames Water’s nature reserves manager, said:

"We’re delighted so many people have been able to safely enjoy the wildlife and green space at Walthamstow Wetlands, particularly during this challenging and difficult time. We provide an essential service and, throughout lockdown, our engineers have continued working at this inner-city haven to keep our customers in supply.

“We’re proud to share the wetlands with residents and visitors from across London and we hope even more people will enjoy this site in the future. We care about the communities within which we all live and work, and this is a fantastic example of Thames Water working together with local partners to benefit the communities we serve and the natural environment.”

Leah McNally, director of strategic projects and engagement for London Wildlife Trust, commented:

“It’s fantastic to reach the milestone of the third anniversary of Walthamstow Wetlands opening and have an opportunity to celebrate all that has been achieved so far by the dedicated team of staff from across the partnership and our amazing volunteers.

“Over the past three years, the site has developed from being largely unknown to the public, to an important place for people to learn about their local area and wildlife, improve their wellbeing as well as helping wildlife to flourish.”