Thames Discovery Programme

I wondered if you would be kind enough to disseminate the following information to the members of the Greenwich Industrial History Society about our project and website, which contains details of our introductory events and training programme for 2009? We will be working on a foreshore site in Charlton in the New Year and this may be of interest to your members.The Thames is the longest open ­ air archaeological site in London, and much of the foreshore is freely accessible to the public. However, many of the exposed archaeological sites are often unrecognised and unprotected, and almost all are vulnerable to the twice ­ daily scouring of the tidal river, and thus require close monitoring. The Thames Discovery Programme aims to communicate an understanding and informed enjoyment of the historic Thames to the widest possible audience. Over the next three years, the archaeologists from the programme will survey 20 archaeological sites along the tidal Thames. This will be supported by the work of the Foreshore Recording and Observation Groups (FROG), who will monitor the surveyed sites for changes, as the daily tides scour away the remaining archaeological features. The FROG will be made up of volunteer members of the public, who will be trained in foreshore recording techniques, health and safety and digital recording by the TDP team.The Thames Discovery Programme is a massive opportunity for members of the public to get involved in one of the most exciting archaeology projects in London. Our outreach work will also involve school groups,student research projects, opportunities for work experience, travelling displays, exhibitions, lectures, site visits and an annual conference.We hope that, through this website, we can further public interest, not just within London, but nationally and globally.Our website is http://www.thamesdiscovery.org/, and contains all the information about volunteering with us. If anyone is interested in more details,please do not hesitate to get in contact with me. Lorna Richardson, Archaeology Outreach Officer Thames Discovery Programmel