What we do

 

Inspiring people to connect

with the wonder of urban wildlife 

Creekside Discovery Centre is committed to maintaining Deptford Creek for people and wildlife and promoting ways we can all connect with urban wildlife.

We do this through 5 main activities:

  1. Deliver and enable informed nature conservation management for resilient local habitats

  2. Provide and enable lifelong learning for all through adventurous, hands-on activities

  3. Collaborate and connect with partners and communities to grow the reach of our work

  4. Ensure the sustainability of Creekside through diverse income streams and exciting projects

  5. Engage volunteers to join Creekside in achieving all parts of our mission

Since opening in 2002 we’ve welcomed 50,000 visitors. At our peak 7,000 people per year have had a chance to wade safely in Deptford Creek, equipped with wading boots, waterproof coats and walking sticks. There is nowhere else in London where you can wade out onto the tidal river bed.

As well as our unique low tide walks, we run outdoor, adventurous learning activities aimed at schools, the local community and Londoners.

You can see our latest events here and schools programme here.

Our location

 

A unique brown field site

Creekside Discovery Centre is based on a site that is one of the most biodiverse landscapes for its size in London. It has unique eco-heritage features including a brownfield based landscape, a brown living roof and natural sloping banks to the foreshore of Deptford Creek. 

The Centre was developed in response to the significant regeneration the area was seeing and a need to protect and nurture our urban habitat. Today we work with conservationists, planners and building professionals to share our knowledge and expertise in biodiversity and land management for urban areas.

Our sloping habitat into Deptford Creek was installed in 2002 to recreate a natural feature of the Tidal Thames. Only 2% of the Tidal Thames’ edges in London remain natural, making this feature in our landscape a rarity.

The soft river bank edges provide a great habitat for plants, invertebrates and fish. Brownfield sites, once common across all of London, are a crucial habitat for wildlife. We have over 300 species of wildflowers on the site.