Mayors for a Drinkable Thames

A Thames watershed network of boroughs, mayors, councillors and local river guardians to work towards a drinkable Thames. Combining the passion of river communities with the influence of local mayors.

Upcoming event:



March 14 2026

Singing to Source – Thames

Multiple locations



March 23 2026

Online River Rescue Kit session with film screening

by River Action UK



June 5-28 2026

Thames Relay River Walk



July 6 2026

Our Blue World Screening

at Totnes cinema

River basin network “Mayors for a Drinkable Thames”

The network

This Thames watershed is a network of boroughs, mayors, councillors and local river guardians that adopts the compass of a drinkable Thames to give a shared direction to work towards. The network recognises that they are all dependent on the Thames river and tributaries. They are thus also responsible for the health of the Thames river system. A drinkable Thames helps us to encourage (local) actions as well as with our regional and watershed collaboration and commitment.

Our healthy lifeline

A Thames that is ecologically healthy and in balance that we can drink straight from is both simple and appealing and also engages all inhabitants, the general public. A healthy Thames is the lifeline for all of us: inhabitants, businesses, otters, dragonflies and also for all the rowers, sailors and swimmers. Strengthening this shared base will benefit many. That is why this network collaborates closely with river user groups and local environmental organisations.

Thames relay river walk 2026

Planning of the Thames relay river walk 2026

We are partnering with the Thames Path National Trail—as it celebrates its 30th anniversary—in organising a Relay Walk along the Trail starting from the source of the River Thames near Kemble and finishing in Woolwich, East London. We will welcome any forms of transport that are powered by movement, such as swimming, paddling, rowing, etc.

Commencing at Kemble, the route will be divided into daily sections of max. 10 miles (16km) and the walk of each leg will be led by members of the Thames river family. We are still looking for volunteers that want to lead a section of the walk. Do you want to participate as a walk leader? Please fill out this form by the Thames Path National Trail.

Do you want to join as a co-walker? Please leave your details here so we can keep you up to date.

Leg 1 – Kemble (6.8 miles) June 5
Start: Source of the Thames, Kemble
Finish: Ashton Keynes
An opening event will be held this day

Leg 2 – Ashton Keynes (5.4 miles) June 6
Start: Ashton Keynes
Finish: Cricklade

Leg 3 – Cricklade (10.6 miles) June 7
Start: Cricklade
Finish: Lechlade

Leg 4 – Lechlade (6.3 miles) June 8
Start: Lechlade
Finish: Radcot

Leg 5 – Radcot (10 miles) June 9
Start: Radcot
Finish: Newbridge

Leg 6 – Newbridge (7.7 miles) June 10
Start: Newbridge
Finish: Swinford

Leg 7 – Swinford (6.1 miles) June 11
Start: Swinford
Finish: Osney Bridge Oxford

Leg 8 – Osney Bridge Oxford (9.6 miles) June 12
Start: Osney Bridge Oxford
Finish: Abingdon
A regional event will be held this day

Leg 9 – Abingdon (8.1 miles) June 13
Start: Abingdon
Finish: Days Lock

Leg 10 – Days Lock (5.3 miles) June 14
Start: Days Lock
Finish: Wallingford

Leg 11 – Wallingford (6.8 miles) June 15
Start: Wallingford
Finish: Goring & Streatley

Leg 12 – Goring & Streatley (11.1 miles) June 16
Start: Goring & Streatley
Finish: Reading

Leg 13 – Reading (8.6 miles) June 17
Start: Reading
Finish: Henley

Leg 14 – Henley (8.8 miles) June 18
Start: Henley
Finish: Marlow

Leg 15 – Marlow (4.5 miles) June 19
Start: Marlow
Finish: Cookham

Leg 16 – Cookham (9.7 miles) June 20
Start: Cookham
Finish: Windsor & Eton
A regional event will be held this day

Leg 17 – Windsor & Eton (8 miles) June 21
Start: Windsor & Eton
Finish: Staines

Leg 18 – Staines (8.3 miles) June 22
Start: Staines
Finish: Walton-on-Thames

Leg 19 – Walton-on-Thames (7.4 miles) June 23
Start: Walton-on-Thames
Finish: Kingston-upon-Thames

Leg 20 – Kingston-upon-Thames (7.5 miles) June 24
Start: Kingston-upon-Thames
Finish: Kew Bridge

Leg 21 – Kew Bridge (10.8 miles) June 25
Start: Kew Bridge
Finish: Battersea Power Station

Leg 22 – Battersea Power Station (3.6 miles) June 26
Start: Battersea Power Station
Finish: Millennium Bridge

Leg 23 – Millennium Bridge (6.7 miles) June 27
Start: Millennium Bridge
Finish: Greenwich

Leg 24 – Greenwich (5.4 miles) June 28
Start: Greenwich
Finish: Royal Arsenal
A closing event will be held this day

Leg 1 – Grain (9.3 miles) June 23
Start: Mouth of the Thames, Grain
Finish: Allhallows

Leg 2 – Allhallows (8.3 miles) June 24
Start: Allhallows
Finish: (Lower Higham) Cliff

Leg 3 – (Lower Higham) Cliff (7.4 miles) June 25
Start: (Lower Higham) Cliff
Finish: Greenhithe

Leg 4 – Greenhithe (9.9 miles) June 26
Start: Greenhithe
Finish: Erith

Leg 5 – Erith (5.3 miles) June 27
Start: Erith
Finish: Thamesmead Ecology Study Area

Leg 6 – Thamesmead Ecology Study Area (3.1 miles) June 28
Start: Thamesmead Ecology Study Area
Finish: Arsenal
A closing event will be held this day

Thames river walk 2023

The Mayors for a Drinkable Thames network was co-initiated by James Manthel, inspired by the Thames River walk by Li An and Maarten from Drinkable Rivers in Sept/Oct 2023.

Learn more about the Thames walk

Connecting efforts across the Thames: Key themes from our gathering with the Port of London Authority

On the 12th of December, we came together online for a valuable session with Emily McLean from the Port of London Authority, who shared insights from the Clean Thames Plan and the process behind its development.

The conversation allowed us to learn from an established approach and to explore where our work can align. We identified four thematic groups that could be helpful to focus action and strengthen collaboration:

river water quality data and monitoring;
engaging children and young people;
education and communication;
and restoring and rewilding the Thames.

We addressed that reaching out to catchment partnerships might be valuable e.g. Evenlode; Cirencester and South East Rivers Trust (SERT) and other groups like the Teddington Society.

Emily highlighted the importance of coordinating priority areas for action across tidal and non-tidal stretches of the river, linking projects that share themes or geography, and maintaining open communication to celebrate progress and learn.

These principles offer a strong foundation for more joined-up, effective action across the Thames catchment.

Founders Mayors for a Drinkable Thames

James Manthel

Councillor of the Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames

Mark Wilson

Councillor of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Li An Phoa

Founder and Director of Drinkable Rivers

Co-initiators at the soft launch of the Thames network

The co-initiators

Boroughs

Runnymede
Elmbridge
Hounslow
Spelthorne
Richmond
Kingston

Mayors

Elaine Gill (Runnymede)
Neil Houston (Elmbridge)
Karen Smith (Hounslow)
Med Buck (Spelthorne)
Richard Pyne/dep Kuldev Sehra (Richmond)
Liz Green (Kingston)

Councillors

Elizabeth Laino (Elmbridge)
Ian Manders (Kingston)
Judy Sarsby (Elmbridge)
Julia Neden-Watts (Richmond)
James Manthel (Kingston)
Mark Wilson (Windsor & Maidenhead)

Part of the Global network

The Thames Mayors network is one of the river basin networks whithin the global network of “Mayors for Drinkable Rivers”

Learn more

Mayors for a Drinkable Thames events

The official launch of the Mayors for a Drinkable Thames campaign

5 November 2025, Maidenhead We look back fondly on the successful launch of the Mayors for a Drinkable Thames campaign, which brought together over 50 mayors, councillors, scientists and stakeholders united by a shared ambition: to make the Thames drinkable again....

Soft launch Mayors for a Drinkable Thames

22 November 2024, KingstonOne of the Thames Councilors, James Manthel, co-initiated Mayors for a drinkable Thames and convened the first gathering on the beautiful Thames Venturer riverboat, in Kingston Upon Thames last Friday 22 November 2024. Inspired by the Thames...

Thames Walk 2023 Diary

Oct 17th - Day #28 - Our final event in London at the Dutch embassyWe're finished walking and we celebrated this moment with about sixty people. We've shared some of our experiences, insights, and encouragements that we have for the Thames River family. We encourage...