Following my request for information on Friday, Thames21 today released this statement:
Thames21 has given Brent Council notice that it is withdrawing from running the WHEEC at the end of this month.
After recent discussions with Brent Council, Thames21 is sad to announce that it will no longer continue to support the operation of the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre as of from the end of July 2025.
Unfortunately, Thames21 has been operating the centre at a loss for several years. Despite the value of the work being done, we simply cannot continue to sustain these financial losses. We had hope—and still hope—that the Council might step in, especially given their plans to redevelop the site.
Chris Coode, CEO at Thames21, said:
Over the last nine years, the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre has had a significant impact on the local community and is a much-loved facility.
I want to pay a special thanks and tribute to the schools, schoolchildren, volunteers, employees (especially Debra Frankiewicz), members and local community who have made this place so great.
We hope that the Council will work with local partners to find a long-term suitable solution to keep the Centre open and offer vital opportunities for children and local people to learn and spend time in nature.
Thames21 remains committed to working in the borough and will continue to focus on working with communities to restore and care for our rivers.
Brent Council was also asked for a statement on Friday bit so far has not responded,
10 comments:
The work carried out by the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre is so important that it would be foolish and short-sighted of Brent Council not to find the money to keep it going.
I understand (but have not been able to confirm) that Brent Council have asked for details of te running costs of the Centre. I await a statement from Brent Council wih interest.
Maybe someone else needs to take it over, as if they ran it at a loss, then the issue is with them
Thats what tenanted towers (no gardens) mega population zoning does for London folk. Brownfield civic rights, what civic rights? Life to be stark, bleak and very taxing in these tower zones.
Maybe the River Brent Land is to go underground for tower developers, instead that is of UK Growth plc investing and green-blue growing this river running through the new Geat West Mega City as key health and wellbeing infrastrucure.
Thames 21 clearly have not a clue as to where London is to grow tenanted towers grow. Lucky that.
Brent have a lot of money from NCIL why is this not being used to support Community use
At present NCIL is used for capital projects, buildings, materials etc rather than running costs (salaries etc). There is a move supported by Brent Council to free up the regulations around CIL so that it can be used more creatively.
River Lea, masive capital investment for a highest quality green-blue chain through its population growth and a powerful new lobby too now for getting more and more capital funds. Momentum as JC would say.
In West London River Brent, the politicans can't get it together and never will, even though the towers are to be taller and tighter packed in these 'shaddowlands'.its population like an enemy to be containered to live precarious barracked.
A tale of two new c21 mega city growths.
Well they have to close these places so that they can carry on paying their so called massive BONUSES. Simple as that .
Why can't Brent run it themselves
Worrying that Brent Council have plans to redevelpp the site - what are they going to build here???
"Unfortunately, Thames21 has been operating the centre at a loss for several years. Despite the value of the work being done, we simply cannot continue to sustain these financial losses. We had hoped - and still hope - that the Council might step in, especially given their plans to redevelop the site."
Thames21’s Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre (WHEEC) update – July 2025 - Thames21 https://share.google/8MVfeRNIhJvoXm1xo
Why aren't the local councillors and MP for this area stepping in to save this brilliant and vital resource for kids in Brent???
Very sad. Councillors and Barry Gardiner. Step up and do the right thing.
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