The London Mudlark, Lara Maiklem, joins The Rivers Trust as its latest ambassador
Lara Maiklem joins a growing group of passionate river advocates in support of The Rivers Trustās vision for wild, healthy, natural rivers, valued by all. Read on to learn about how Lara advocates for rivers through the fascinating world of mudlarking!
13/04/26
Best-selling author and mudlarking treasure-hunter Lara Maiklem reflects on her lifelong relationship with The Thames as she joins The Rivers Trust as its latest ambassador.
As a mudlark, Lara spends much of her time on the shores of the River Thames, searching for objects lost and forgotten throughout history. Her work documenting these findings online and in her books, offers a unique perspective of our waterways that has captivated the public. The Rivers Trust ā the UK and Irelandās dedicated river conservation charity - has welcomed Lara on board to help engage more people with its vision for wild, healthy, natural rivers, valued by all.
Lara, who was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 2022, uses her platform to advocate for environmentally conscious mudlarking to protect the invertebrates and fish spawn that can be impacted by people digging into the mud, and to raise awareness of the plight of plastic and litter polluting rivers. She joins The Rivers Trust ahead of the Big River Watch citizen science campaign to monitor river health and is calling for people to get involved.
āThere's something about rivers that calls us to them. In the countryside, as well as in towns, they are a life-giving oasis of calm. We need them and now, more than ever, they need us, which is why Iām so excited to be working with The Rivers Trust, campaigning for our blue spaces so that we can all continue to enjoy our wonderful, magical rivers."
In 2012, Lara started posting on social media as āThe London Mudlarkā - scouring the banks of the Thames to uncover historic items with stories to tell - which quickly attracted followers and media attention. She has now released four books on mudlarking including: Mudlarking: Lost and Found on the River Thames and A Mudlarking Year: Finding Treasure in Every Season; and has appeared frequently across television, radio, print and online articles to share her passion for the history of the Thames.
Lara spends much of her time on the shores of the Thames, in the marshes and the estuary - sharing its stories with her almost 200,000 followers on Instagram. She describes the Thames as her escape, therapy, and happy place, and says that rivers are part of all of us, which is why we need to protect them.
"I grew up playing in rivers, making rafts with my cousins and dabbling in the stream at the bottom of the garden. I fished for minnows and dragon fly nymphs and sometimes, if I was lucky, I saw the electric blue flash of a kingfisher or a water vole pushing through the water at dusk. When I left home, wherever I was, I searched out a river to soothe my soul, and when I moved to London the Thames became my secret solitude, a friendly space in a city of chaos.ā
Emma Brisdion, Communications & Campaigns Manager at The Rivers Trust, added: āWe are delighted to have Lara join us as our latest ambassador for The Rivers Trust. Lara was recommended to us by another of our ambassadors, adventurer and author, Alastair Humphreys, who recognised that we had shared goals of fighting for cleaner rivers and educating the public about the magic of rivers, not just the problems. She pulls the threads of history and culture and shows us how rivers link us to the people of the past who also needed, loved, and used our enduring waterways.ā
Lara follows another recent ambassador announcement for The Rivers Trust, writer, broadcaster, and angler Will Millard ā they both join a growing group of passionate river advocates: adventurer and author Al Humphreys; NHS GP, author, and broadcaster Dr Amir Khan; anthropologist and broadcaster Professor Alice Roberts; and gold medal-winning Olympic Rower Dr Imogen Grant MBE.
“The Thames is my greatest love. I'm never happier than when I'm beside my river. It's my escape, it's my therapy, it's my happy place.”
Lara Maiklem
Mudlarker and Author