Volunteers work wonders on the waterways
15 April 2009
What do a photocopier, an aeroplane propeller and a fridge full of food have in common?
They are all items of rubbish removed by the army of volunteers that took part in British Waterways most successful Towpath Tidy event ever. More than 1,700 volunteers joined 635 members of British Waterways’ staff in clearing 149 tonnes of litter, painting bridges, locks, fences and graffiti covered walls, and cutting back vegetation.
The mammoth effort, which took place at the end of March in 110 locations across the national waterways network, has made 216 miles of British Waterways’ towpaths cleaner, safer and more attractive for everyone.
Many thousands of items of waste were removed by volunteers from towpaths and the navigation. They ranged from the mundane to the outright bizarre, and as well as the aforesaid photocopier, aeroplane propeller and a fridge full of (out of date) food, included an ice axe and 192 shopping trolleys.
Edward Moss, British Waterways national volunteering manager, said: “I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part this year’s Towpath Tidy. Those volunteers involved have not only made an invaluable contribution to their local community, they have also helped British Waterways to support wildlife and make the waterways more attractive places to visit.”
In addition to support from Encams, the Inland Waterways Association and many other local support groups, Towpath Tidy 2009 was backed by Bill Bryson - president of the Campaign to Protect Rural England. Bill comments: “Britain’s waterways are of vital importance, providing everyone with the opportunity to experience their cities, towns and countryside from a unique and tranquil perspective. It’s a disgrace that some people choose to treat their waterways as an open litter bin or as a place to dump their discarded waste.”
Notes to editors:
Towpath Tidy 2009 involved:
• 1,747 volunteers helped alongside 635 British Waterways staff
• 3135 bags / 149 tonnes of litter were cleared. This included 192 shopping trolleys
• 216 miles / 348 km of towpath in 110 locations across the UK
British Waterways is a not-for-dividend public corporation which cares for a 2,200-mile network of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs across Britain. It is accountable to the Department of the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs in England and Wales and to the Scottish Government in Scotland and works with a broad range of public, private and voluntary sector partners to protect and find new uses for the nation's historic waterways.