What happens when you take a little piece of Crossness beyond the station gates?
On Saturday 8 August, Crossness joined thousands of people at Thamesmead Festival 2026. From our stall near the main Park Stage at Southmere Lake, our volunteers met local families, shared the story of Crossness and introduced people to the events, activities and volunteering opportunities available on their doorstep.
A monster-inspired activity
The star of the stall was our Make a Mini Microbe Aquarium activity, inspired by William Heath’s 1828 satirical print Monster Soup Commonly Called Thames Water. The print imagines the alarming creatures a person might discover in a magnified drop of London’s drinking water, poking fun at the poor state of the capital’s water supply before Crossness was built.
Festival visitors were invited to bring the idea to life by imagining their own colourful microbes and creating miniature aquatic worlds to take home. The activity proved so popular that Laura worked through hundreds of the little aquarium bottles she had prepared, with families gathering around the stall throughout the day.
Crossness was built as part of the transformation of London’s sanitation, and the Thames remains central to the story we tell. Turning Monster Soup into a creative activity let us introduce that history to a new generation in a way that was playful, memorable and just a little bit strange.
Crossness in the community
Alongside the activity, our volunteers spoke to festival visitors about the pumping station, our forthcoming events and the many different ways people can become involved. For some, it was their first introduction to Crossness, despite living only a short distance away.
Taking part in community events allows us to meet our neighbours, share what we do and invite more people to discover how this place forms part of their local story.
A huge thank you to all the volunteers who represented Crossness, helped families with their creations and kept the stall welcoming and busy throughout the festival.