In February, I travelled to London to share in the celebration of 125 years of University of East London, one of our partners in our paludiculture (wet farming) journey.  There were throngs of VIPs there as the university showcased some of its most prestigious work, and one very well know person you might recognise – His Majesty King Charles III.

I attended to greet The King on behalf of the Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs and Northants, and tell him about how our wet farming work is bringing together farmers, growers, policy and potential end product innovators.  After an official handshake, The King had a good look at some of the potential products that can be created from wetland plants – such as building materials, insulation, single use packaging, herbal extracts and even fabric.  He left with a chuckle when he was told of the purported aphrodisiac properties of sundew extract!

We were proud to be standing alongside a few of the organisations we're currently partnering with: BeadaMoss, who explained how the wet farming sphagnum moss crops could replace peat compost with a sustainable alternative. UEL researchers working on new building technologies from plant based waste. And Saltyco, showcasing a BioPuff® jacket – filled with paludiculture products for warmth.  It was a really uplifting chance to demonstrate to a prestigious audience how much amazing joint work is going on and how much hope there is for new industries in the future that will bring benefits far exceeding just an end product.

The King was intrigued by the potential and diversity of our work and said he was "always looking for more insulation".

The whole event was a fantastic example of how much stronger we all are when we work in partnership and a tribute to the investment in research at the university.