A decade ago, the Crossing Lines group instigated a project on the Swanscombe marshes, resulting in three exhibitions in Greenhithe, Goldsmiths, Gravesend. The work mostly responded to the ex-industrial marshland and the plans to develop a section of this Thames riverside into a theme park. Since then, the theme park seems to have stalled and the land is now for sale. Wildlife and nature has thrived and its designation, in 2021, as a Site of Special Scientific Interest means the significance of the marshland habitats for rare plants, insects and bird life is now much more widely understood.

Given this context, the September Crossing Lines heard from photographer and nature enthusiast, Kelly-Ann McGuinness, whose interest in learning about and photographing British wildlife, began when she first started exploring the Swanscombe Marshes in 2020. Since then, she has been a regular visitor to the marshes and has developed a passion for documenting its incredible diversity of wildlife, particularly birds, insects and flowers, including many rare species that can be found there. The meeting began with an audio interview, recorded on location with Kelly-Ann, and which you can listen to below.