Recorded live at the London National Park City Visitor Centre (80 Mortimer Street), host Michael Shilling speaks with Oli Back, Head of Operations at Street Trees for Living (STfL).

We dig into how community-led planting and long-term care can transform streets: from sponsorship and guardianship, to cooling overheated playgrounds, to tackling tree equity and choosing the right tree, right place — and right reason. We also cover timelines, funding realities, and simple ways you can get involved in your neighbourhood.

In this episode

• Bottom-up planting that lasts: sponsorship, guardianship and three-year care
• Shade, cooling and calmer streets around schools
• Tree equity: targeting low-canopy, high-need areas
• Species choice and the “right tree, right place (and right reason)” approach
• Practical routes to action for residents, businesses and schools

Links & resources

• Street Trees for Living — home: streettreesforliving.org
• Sponsor a street tree (Lewisham residents): I’m a Lewisham Resident
• Schools programme: Plant Trees — I’m a School
• Targeted planting & vacant pits: Grow Back Together
• How to get new trees planted (Lewisham Council): lewisham.gov.uk guidance
• Citywide strategy: London Urban Forest Partnership (GLA)
• Explore trees near you: TreeTalk map
• Environmental data hub: GiGL – Greenspace Information for Greater London
• Visit us: London National Park City Visitor Centre
• Join the movement: London National Park City – website | Join the community

Credits
Recorded live during Open House Festival London.
Host: Michael Shilling (London National Park City).
Guest: Oli Back (Street Trees for Living).

Underground Connections: London Fungi Festival (4–12 Oct 2025)

Artist–educator Poppy Flint and Lex from Fat Fox Mushrooms join Do London Differently to reveal how art, sound and science come together for a week-long celebration of fungi across London — including (un)common threads, a free interactive exhibition at the London National Park City Visitor Centre, plus Shroom Sunday, workshops and a guided “Walk Under the Trees”.

Programme & tickets

• Festival hub & full listings: London Fungi Festival

Exhibition

• Free drop-in exhibition (4–12 Oct): (un)common threads
  
  

Guests & collaborators

• Urban mycology lab & workshops: Fat Fox Mushrooms
• Interactive systems & lighting: Bailes & Light
  
  

Research thread mentioned

• Profile: Dr Laura Martinez-Suz (Kew Gardens)
• Background explainer: Europe’s forest fungi & nitrogen deposition
• Supporter: British Mycological Society – Massee Arts Grant
  
  

In this episode: biosonification soundscapes; why nitrogen pollution reshapes fungal diversity; cultivating UK-native strains; mycelium materials you can make at home; and a “loosely guided” walk that sends imaginations underground.

What if walking was more than just a way to get from A to B?
In this episode of Do London Differently, author Annabel Abbs (also writing as Annabel Streets) shares the powerful benefits of walking for health, wellbeing and inspiration.

We talk about her books Windswept, 52 Ways to Walk and The Walking Cure, and explore why walking matters — from London’s hidden gardens and Wren’s churches to the science of sea air, forest terpenes and mountain hormones.

👣 Topics covered:

• Benefits of walking for mental and physical health
• Hidden walking routes in London, from Temple Gardens to the City
• How posture and small walking hacks build confidence and endurance
• Walking in cemeteries and finding perspective in grief and gratitude
• The London Walking Festival and making walking more accessible

If you love walking, London’s history or exploring the science of wellbeing, this episode is for you.

📚 Learn more about Annabel Abbs

In this episode, host Emily Langston heads to Morden Hall Park in South London, one of the National Trust’s lesser-known gems, to explore how history, ecology, and art come together in a unique creative project.

Our guest is textile artist Ranger Elly Platt, who has been running an inspiring week-long workshop with young people, helping them connect with the rare chalk stream habitat of the River Wandle through embroidery and reclaimed fabrics. Alongside her are Isabelle Bryan (Programming & Partnerships Officer) and Emma Hutchinson (Volunteer & Community Manager) from the National Trust, who share why projects like this matter for both biodiversity and community engagement.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• 🌿 Lockdown walks and hidden histories: Ellie shares how walking along the River Wandle during lockdown led her to discover the river’s fascinating past as a hub of the textile industry – from William Morris’ natural dye revolution to Liberty print works.
  🎨 From chalk streams to stitchwork: How the habitats of the Wandle – gravel beds, water weeds, caddisfly larvae, and fish – inspired textile artworks created by young people.
• ♻️ Sustainability in practice: Using reclaimed fabrics from scrap stores, community donations, and personal stashes to keep the project eco-friendly.
• 👩‍🎨 Empowering young people: Aged 15–23, the group learned sewing techniques, built friendships, and curated their own exhibition in the historic Snuff Mill building.
• 🦋 The magic of caddisflies: Why these tiny invertebrates became the glamorous stars of the embroidery hoops – and how hands-on river monitoring inspired the artworks.
• 🏭 Industrial heritage: A walk through Morden Hall’s Snuff Mill and the story of the Wandle’s 90 mills, once producing everything from gunpowder to flour.
• 🌊 Protecting a rare chalk stream: The ecological importance of the River Wandle, recent pollution threats, and why it remains a habitat worth fighting for.
• 🤝 Community, creativity, and connection: How the project helped combat loneliness, gave young people portfolio-ready work, and strengthened ties with nature.
• 🧵 Textiles as activism: From Elly’s wearable art piece Wandle vs the Wet Wipes to playful "walking and stitching" workshops, discover how fabric and thread can tell stories about rivers, waste, and resilience.
  
  

Exhibition Details

The young people’s work is on display in the Kiln Room at Morden Hall Park until 3rd November. Entry is free, and visitors are encouraged to explore the park, the Snuff Mill, and the river while they’re here.

When Andrea Perry first looked at the neglected green patch near her home in Addiscombe, Croydon, it was a no-go zone nicknamed “Dog Poo Park” — littered with syringes, broken glass, and rubbish. Few dared to step inside.

Fast forward a few years, and the same space is now Dartnell Park — alive with fruit trees, wildflowers, colourful benches, and even a wiggly path for children and dogs. It’s all thanks to Andrea and a group of neighbours who went on to create Croydon’s first official Green Street on Laurier Road.

In this episode, we explore:

🌱 The seed of an idea – How Andrea’s community greening journey began with 12 neighbours in a rainy church hall.
🌸 What makes a Green Street – From pollinator planting in tree pits to negotiating with the council to stop glyphosate spraying.
🤝 Building community through gardening – How monthly working parties (fuelled by coffee and cake!) brought people together and reduced fly-tipping.
🐝 Why glyphosate matters – The case against harmful weedkillers and Croydon Climate Action’s push for spray-free streets.
💡 Practical tips – How you can start your own Green Street, from winning neighbour support to choosing safe, pollinator-friendly plants.
🌍 The bigger vision – Connecting streets into biodiversity corridors that link parks, schools, and neighbourhoods across London.

Andrea’s story is proof that persistence, planting, and people-power can turn bleak spaces into thriving ones. As she says:
“Gardening and sweeping are exercise outdoors. Do it with other people and you’re ticking every wellbeing box possible — plus you’re building a sense of belonging.”

Croydon Climate Action Group

Programme Manager Rochelle Shanthakumar talks to Dr. Bushra Schuitemaker about everything from chickens and kayaking in Norfolk to community-led science and Racial and Ethnic Equality and Diversity in Ecology

What do chickens, kayaking in Norfolk, the right to roam, and community-led science have in common? They’re all part of the expansive, joyful and deeply rooted conversation we had with Dr. Bushra Schuitemaker on this episode of the Do London Differently podcast.

Bushra is a zoologist, microbiologist, science communicator and passionate advocate for land justice, inclusive nature access, and environmental equity. A volunteer with Black Girls Hike UK and co-founder of the REED Network (Racial and Ethnic Equality and Diversity in Ecology), her work bridges everything from poultry welfare and community science to Palestine, public health, and the power of walking.

In this episode, Bushra joins Rochelle Shanthakuma for a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation. They discuss how growing up in rural Essex shaped Bushra’s love for nature, how walking can be a joyful form of activism, and why environmental justice must be social justice too.

Whether you’re a curious urban nature lover, someone working in ecology or education, or just wondering how we can make green spaces more welcoming and inclusive—this episode is packed with insight, laughter, and hope.

What does it take to transform a city? Sometimes it starts with something small, a compost system, a shared idea, a community walk to reimagine our grey spaces as green. That’s what was heard loud and clear at the recent London Assembly Environment Committee, where two members of the London National Park City team were invited to speak about the power of community-led action.

In a special session on the future of London’s parks and green spaces, Programme Manager Rochelle Shanthakumar and Executive Director Mark Cridge shared stories of grassroots transformation, local leadership, and the growing movement to green the parts of London that need it most.

Their message was clear: in the face of a climate and nature emergency, community-led action builds lasting nature connection and environmental resilience

The London Assembly Environment Committee is chaired by Léonie Cooper AM. We had questions from Committee members Thomas Turrell, Keith Prince AM, Bassam Mahfouz AM and Zack Polanski AM

Welcome back to another joyful ramble through London’s green and surprising spaces! In this very special episode of the Do London Differently podcast, co-host Emily Langston is joined by two fantastic guests: climate comedian Stuart Goldsmith and Phoenix Garden manager Louise Gates.

👀 What’s in this episode?
We start in Covent Garden, once a stomping ground for street performer-turned-comedian Stuart Goldsmith, and wind our way to the unexpectedly tranquil Phoenix Garden, tucked behind the bustle of Shaftesbury Avenue. Along the way we chat about:

✨ Climate comedy – what it is, why it matters, and how not to terrify or scold your audience
🌍 Imperfect climate action, climate confessions, and why your grubby little eco-sins are OK
🌿 Phoenix Garden’s 41-year history as a biodiversity haven in central London
🪴 The joy of community gardening and its power to connect people and restore wellbeing
🐦 Birds, bugs, berries, and bins – we go full urban nature nerd (and we love it)
📣 How YOU can help protect this vital green space under threat from development

🎧 Highlights & Takeaways
• "Comedy reflects culture – so let’s make the culture greener."
• "Don’t wait to be perfect to take climate action."
• "Volunteering is good for the garden – and even better for the soul."
• “The garden’s existence is a small act of resistance in the heart of the city.”

🌼 Support Phoenix Garden
This unique community garden needs your help to survive and thrive. Please consider donating, volunteering, or simply visiting to enjoy the space.
🔗 www.thephoenixgarden.org
📸 Instagram: @thephoenixgarden

🎤 More from our guests
• Stuart Goldsmith → sign up to his newsletter via his website for more about comedy, climate and communication
• Louise Gates → Catch her at the Phoenix Garden doing everything from event planning to pruning
• Emily Langston → Co-host & ranger with London National Park City

🪕 Also featuring:
• A visit from Emily’s sister, some very excited birdwatching
• An Inconvenient Time – Stuart’s climate comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe

💚 About the podcast
Do London Differently explores the wild, green, and surprising sides of city life – meeting the people making London greener, healthier and wilder.

—

📌 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode if you enjoyed it! Leave a comment with your favourite community garden or your climate confession – we won’t judge 😅

#LondonNationalParkCity #CommunityGardens #ClimateComedy #DoLondonDifferently #UrbanNature #PhoenixGarden #StuartGoldsmith #CoventGarden #Biodiversity #EdinburghFringe #ClimateAction #LondonPodcast