The Thames Learning Group is a new initiative from over 60 tourism, heritage, education and culture providers along the entire Thames, dedicated to helping local schools and adult learners maximise the benefit from the Thames. The River & Rowing Museum, Henley on Thames, and the Thames Estuary Partnership have taken a leading role in developing the Group. It is co-chaired by Paul Mainds, Chief Executive and Trustee of the River & Rowing Museum, Henley on Thames and Jill Goddard, Executive Director of the Thames Estuary Partnership.

On 17 February 2010 Members of Parliament interested in the River Thames, helped launch The Thames Learning Group. It covers the length of the Thames from source to sea and involves organisations such as the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace through to the National Trust, RSPB and many more.

The aim of the Thames Learning Group is to provide an easy to use resource for schools and adult learners looking to access the River and its surrounds. Topics range from learning outside the classroom for schools through to bird watching, river ecology and the history and heritage of the Thames. Schools, colleges, community groups and individuals in Henley can now use the Partnership to provide learning opportunities tailored to them and plan trips along the river.

MPs from the All Party Group for the Thames demonstrated their support for the Group, confirming the significance and value of the Thames.

'Click on Thames' map                                      

We have been awarded £10,000 by the Big Lottery Fund to work with our partners to extend the non tidal "click on" map for education centres to cover the tidal stretch of the Thames. In early 2009, TEP's Tidal Thames Education Network group started working with the River Thames Alliance Learning Partnership (now working together as the Thames Learning Group) to see how we can ensure good publicity for all the centres on the river Thames. Both groups agreed that a single on-line map for river-related centres will be very useful.

The award will provide staff time to collate centre locations and venue details plus links with their own websites. The project is supported by the Port of London Authority and the Environment Agency and will extend the existing map for the non-tidal Thames, hosted on the visitthames website.

The map will provide accessible information in one place about the many riverside interpretation centres along the Thames including floating classrooms and boats specially adapted for the disabled. The 'click on Thames' of the river will show location, services and access to these sites. The map is now freely available on-line for the public and can be accessed at http://www.visitthames.co.uk/poi/261/learning.html. There was an official launch of the Click on Thames map on Thursday 10^th March 2011 at University College London.

We want to help you promote your learning facility on the River Thames

A listing of your river-related educational facility on the 'click on Thames' map together with a link to your own website will provide additional publicity and visibility for your centre or facility.

This service is FREE! All you need to do is fill in the members details questionnaire (see below) and return to us and we will let you know when your listing is live.

members details questionnaire (792.5 kB)

Please contact Rebekah Rochester (Thames Estuary Partnership) at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone 020 7679 0540 with any questions or if you wish to get involved.