The World of the Wandle

Co-created by eight young people ages 15-23 and overseen by textile artist Elly Platt, the World of the Wandle exhibition explores the beauty and vulnerability of the River Wandle through imaginative textile artworks made from recycled fabrics and materials.

The artworks were created during a week long workshop focussing on the rare chalk stream habitat of the River Wandle.

You can read some of the feedback from participants below:

"It has made me much more aware & conscious of the river, appreciating it closer-up and in more detail. Learning about its history has inspired me to feel more grateful and to interact more with local nature, appreciating its presence even in urban spaces."

“As someone from Croydon, I often passed the Wandle but didn’t know how far it extended. I learned about wildlife like trout and caddis fly larvae, and meeting them in real life was exciting! I’m inspired to make more wildlife-inspired art, and the experience reignited my creativity.”

“I really enjoyed getting to ‘re-know’ the river in terms of learning about how rare chalk streams actually are, the Wandle’s significance for this area, etc. The project’s helped me to practice taking inspiration from the natural environment and to slow down and pay attention to it where otherwise I may have not.”