Kingston Hive

12/04/2026

Today two great events in Kingston to help connect you to community spirit and ground you with nature.
It's a beautiful day for it 💚

28/03/2026

25/03/2026

We invite everyone who lives, works or spends time in Kingston to share their views on the council's approach to preparing for the impacts of climate change.

Your feedback will help ensure that our approach reflects local knowledge, lived experience and community priorities.

Strong community involvement is essential to making sure our response to climate change is fair, practical and effective.

Take five minutes to complete a short survey: www.kingstonletstalk.co.uk/climate-action/kingston-climate-adaptation/

💚

20/03/2026

This time last week, and brought together an incredible mix of local voices for a Community Emergency Resilience Planning Workshop.

We were joined by people from local businesses, residents, universities, Kingston Voluntary Action, the Fire Brigade, Police, GPs, community groups, and even a local nursery.

What’s clear is that our communities are facing growing pressure from climate impacts — from rising food prices, to increased flood risk, to heat-related health challenges.

The workshop highlighted that there’s still much to do: improving communication flows, building stronger contact networks, and gathering better local data and knowledge. But it also reminded us of something really important…

In Kingston, we’re incredibly lucky to have strong relationships and open lines of communication between services and communities. We may not always agree, but there is a shared commitment to working together — and that matters.

Because the reality is this: the combined challenges of climate change and global uncertainty are not distant threats — they are already here, and growing.

What gives hope is that by continuing to collaborate, listen, and act together, we can strengthen our community’s ability to respond and adapt.

If you’d like to find out more or get involved, contact: [email protected]

We’ll be running another emergency scenario tabletop exercise, along with workshops on food, water, and building stronger community communication networks in the coming months.

19/03/2026

We’re really looking forward to the upcoming exhibition A Simultaneous Agreement at the Stanley Picker Gallery.

It was a pleasure to recently hear from artist fellows Audrey Samson and Francisco Gallardo, whose collaborative practice (FRAUD) explores the hidden systems behind resource extraction, pollution, and environmental governance. Their work connects global issues — like mining, fertilisers, and waste — to very local impacts, including the health of our rivers.

Through the Standing for the River project, they are helping shine a light on pollution in the Hogsmill and supporting the growing campaign for a safe, bathable river site. Their research highlights how agricultural runoff and wastewater contribute to river degradation, and how these challenges are tied to wider systems of resource use and environmental policy.

09/03/2026

David has kindly shared some great follow up brief notes to share with us, of just some of the things mentioned at bird talk at the Hive to help people learn more about Birds.

Local bird interest group that do various trips and meetings with knowledgeable people: Surbiton and District Birdwatching Society.

RSPB - national and own nature reserves and local group (Twickenham and Richmond) who have meetings, walks and trips.

BTO - citizen science and bird recording.

Wildfowl and Wetland Trust (WWT) manage nature reserves including local one at Barnes.

Richmond Park Friends bird watching group - bird walks in park.

Merlin bird app - bird and bird song identification.

Hogsmill Nature Reserve and Kempton Park Nature Reserve - Thames Water owned, private access but can join to get access.

Knepp Estate in Sussex.

Many other areas near and further away, best way learn more join Surbiton group or local RSPB.

Citizen Zoo - local rewilding activities (e.g. in Tolworth) and wildlife links.

Books so many... but mentioned
"How to be a Bad Bird Watcher" by Simon Barnes - easy read, good intro and often in second hand bookshops like FARA in Teddington and Oxfam in Kingston or local library.

"Bird Britannica" by Mark Cocker (can read at the Hive) documenting the cultural, historical, and natural history of British birdlife.

Collins Bird Guides are great

This video is good https://youtu.be/z7xwv3twYDI?si=_mfhoB4SCaHG1GmX

And this one 👇

What does it mean to be a birdwatcher? Why is access to nature important? What makes someone get up at 3 a.m. to go birdwatching in the pouring rain?My goal ...

08/03/2026

What a marvelous evening, sharing our passion for birds, with experienced birders and some brand new to the subject.

We decided not to brave the cold air tonight and instead we will wait for a full Spring dawn or twilight chorus in May. When we will take a walk together down by the river.

Nevertheless the discussion was fun, enthusiastic, interesting and we look forward to the next meeting.

03/03/2026

Hello everyone! A reminder that at this evening's Hive meeting we'll have a special presentation by FRAUD (fellows at Stanley Picker Gallery) about making the Hogsmill a bathable river.

Do come along 7-8.30pm 47 Wood Street, to learn about this great project, find out how to get involved etc :) 🏞️💧

Here is a poem by Henny for a poetry project about chalk streams.

Hogsmill

As a child,
I lay down in chalk streams
surrounded by watercress.
Sticklebacks and Minnows swam in clear water.
Banded Demoiselles hovered above, opalescent,
as sunlight streaked through the willows.
So beautiful that the Romantics painted in the meadows alongside.

Now more the weedy ditch once described,
the Hogsmill chalkbed choked with Algal growth, fat bergs and sewage sludge.
Oxygen extinguished.
The muscular flies, brown trout and wriggling eels are no more.
Our minds obstinately shut to the loss.
No Ophelia lies here.

26/02/2026