The Mayor of London Boris Johnson today hailed the role the River Thames has in the life of the capital during a visit to TS Tenacious, the tall ship currently moored in Woolwich as part of Totally Thames. The Mayor is supporting the month-long arts and cultural celebration, which features over 100 river-related events along its entire 42 mile course through the capital.
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: 'I am delighted to support Totally Thames, which is a fantastic way to get people delving deeper into the significance of the river in London's history and the role it has to play in our city's future. Along its banks, new housing developments are sprouting up in places like Battersea and Greenwich and we're working on a variety of projects to enhance the river and attract Londoners and tourists alike. 8.5 million people travelled on the river last year and we want that number to increase by 2020. As this month long celebration highlights, the Thames is very much a living river, so take the plunge and enjoy the unprecedented variety of activities on offer.'
The Mayor met with crew members from TS Tenacious, a tall ship owned by the Jubilee Sailing Trust, which is fitted out to be fully accessible, allowing people with disabilities to crew a tall ship at sea. He also met local young crew trainees from the Royal Borough of Greenwich. They have received sponsorship to enable them to take part in the Regatta from Falmouth to Greenwich. Aged 18-25, the young Londoners are from local schools and colleges, or unemployed. The Regatta provides young people with life-changing experiences and invaluable new skills as well as opportunities to work in teams.
Also taking part in the visit were Totally Thames Director, Adrian Evans; Robert Gordon Clark, Chair, Thames Festival Trust; Cllr Denise Hyland, Leader, RB Greenwich; Cllr Miranda Williams, Cabinet Member for Culture and Creative Industries, RB Greenwich; and Duncan Souster, Chief Executive, Jubilee Sailing Trust.
www.totallythames.org #TotallyThames
Notes to editors
About Totally Thames: Totally Thames is delivered by the Thames Festival Trust in partnership with Arts Council England, the Mayor of London, London First (London’s leading business body), London & Partners (the Mayor’s official promotional organisation for London), and dozens of partners in the riparian boroughs.
Totally Thames Principal Supporters: Arts Council England, Mayor of London, London First; Festival supporters and sponsors: London & Partners, Battersea Power Station, Thames Tideway Tunnel, Wanda One (UK), Vauxhall One, Nine Elms Vauxhall Partnership, Lifelong Learning Programme, M&G Investments, WaterAid, Port of London Authority, Potters Fields Park Management Trust, EDF Energy London Eye, Team London Bridge, Lebara Mobile, Network Rail, Coin Street Community Builders; Media partners: Evening Standard, Londonist; Rivers of the World supporters: British Council, Viking River Cruises, City of London
About Thames Festival Trust: Since 1997 when the famous wire walk took place across the Thames in central London, the Thames Festival Trust has organised 16 fun, free festivals along and on the river. What started as an event around the South Bank has stretched to embrace the length of the river from Westminster to Tower Bridges and St Katharine Docks. Thousands of events have been organised in that time from street carnivals to sand castles on the foreshore, from fireworks to family feasts on a bridge. Over 10 million people have enjoyed the Thames Festival since 1997, reaching a peak in 2012 when more than 800,000 people spent the weekend celebrating the end of the London Games. Today the Thames Festival Trust, led by Artistic Director Adrian Evans, who was the Pageant Master for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee river celebrations, is expanding the concept from central London to the whole river in London, from Richmond to Havering, under the banner Totally Thames. TFT is funded by Arts Council England, the Mayor of London, London First and many other sponsors and supporters.
For more information: www.totallythames.org | Twitter: @TotallyThames | Facebook: www.facebook.com/ThamesFestival
Principal Supporters: Arts Council England, Mayor of London, London First; Festival supporters and sponsors: London & Partners, Battersea Power Station, Thames Tideway Tunnel, Wanda One (UK), Vauxhall One, Nine Elms Vauxhall Partnership, Lifelong Learning Programme, M&G Investments, WaterAid, Port of London Authority, Potters Fields Park Management Trust, EDF Energy London Eye, Team London Bridge, Lebara Mobile, Network Rail, Coin Street Community Builders; Media partners: Evening Standard, Londonist; Rivers of the World supporters: British Council, Viking River Cruises, City of London
About London First: London First is an independent business membership organisation whose mission is to make London the best city in the world in which to do business. Its members include the capital’s leading employers in key sectors such as financial and business services, property, transport, ICT, education, creative industries, hospitality and retail. Established in 1991, its work encompasses a wide range of issues under the umbrella of maintaining London’s competitiveness in an increasingly challenging environment.
For more information: www.londonfirst.co.uk | Twitter: @London_First
About London & Partners: London & Partners is the Mayor’s official promotional organisation for London. Our company attracts and delivers value to business, students and visitors. London & Partners is a not-for-profit public private partnership, funded by the Mayor of London and a network of commercial partners. Our remit is to drive leisure and business visitors as well as bidding to secure major events in London, to unlock the city for overseas businesses who want to set up or expand in London and to promote the capital’s world class universities to international students. Our intention is to work in partnership with organisations in London and across the world to deliver our goal - that London be globally recognised as the best big city on earth.
For more information: www.londonandpartners.com | Twitter: @visitlondon | www.facebook.com/visitlondon