A huge thank you to our volunteers who have dedicated their time this year to protect the places we paddle, removing more than a 1,000 sacks of junk and plastic pollution from our much loved inland and coastal waters this year.
Here’s a big shout out to the clubs, delivery partners, groups and individuals who logged a paddle cleanup with us to champion Clear Access Clear Waters:
Candy, Dave, Sarah J, Joe, Matt, Mari-Liis, Emilia, Paul, Keith, Pete B, Tony G, Derek B, Chrissie P, Team Marpa, Davies Family, Loch Ken Trust Ranger Ken and Steve W.
Whoosh Explore Canoe Club
Kingston Kayak Club
Southampton Canoe Club
Lincoln Canoe Club
Colchester Canoe Club
Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre
Hertfordshire Canoe Club
Holme Pierrepoint Canoe Club
Go-Godalming Youth Canoe Club
North East Sea Kayakers
Banbury and District Canoe Club
Water Wombles North Yorkshire
Southend Canoe Club
Sea Point Canoe Centre
Midland Canoe Club
Minima Yacht Club Kayakers
Royal Leamington Spa Canoe Club
Littlethorpe Community Association
Huntingdon Canoe Club
Bishop Auckland Canoe and Kayak Club
Epic Life
Exeter Canoe Club
Oshun Swim
Duchy College
Adventure Beyond
Fairlop Paddlesport
Runcorn Canoe Club
Strathspey SUP
Teignbridge Canoe Club
Deva Canoe Club
Go Kayaking
Llandysul Paddlers Canoe Club
Paddle Peak
Chippenham Sailing and Canoeing Club
Jersey Canoe Club
The top four offenders were once again single –use plastic bottles, cans, glass bottles and food packaging.
And 2021’s most unusual finds were:
A Fire Extinguisher
A 27 year old message in a bottle
A bath
A microwave
A golf caddy trolley
An inflatable flamingo
A crafting magazine
A kitchen chair
A cricket wicket
A police officers hat
And a Christmas bauble
The award for most trolleys recovered from our waterways goes to Kingston Kayak Club who pulled out 58 shopping trolleys from their local waters! And if that’s not amazing enough Dave Rawding Chairman of the club said ‘Our Action does make a difference and creates longer term improvements. After speaking to the manager of the supermarket from which we recovered 58 trolleys, they have changed their operating practices with ‘Trolleywise’ who are now doing twice weekly sweeps of the most problematic areas. This was a case of encouraging a change and working with them’- great result Kingston Kayak Club!
And finally Lincoln Canoe Club worked with a local artist Nadya Monfrinoli and The Collection Museum to transform their single –use plastic bottles collected from their paddle cleanups into sculptures to highlight the issue of plastic pollution.
A BIG THANK YOU from the Clear Access, Clear Waters Team to everyone who has contributed to this huge effort, you are awesome!
If you have taken part in a paddle cleanup this year or plan to do one over the Christmas break please log it with us here to help us champion the case for fair shared sustainable open access to protect the places we love to paddle.