Important:   Litter can be contaminated, so we have put together some information to help you handle it safely. Please click on this link to have a read through our Health and Safety Guidance before you go out litter-picking.

 

Coventry Canal Plastic Patrol

Coventry,CV6 5BD

05 Aug 2018

23:00

The Canal and River Trust have organised an event: Coventry Canal Plastic Patrol Event: Monday 6th August 2018: 9.30-4.30 Please see the links below: https://www.plasticpatrol.co.uk/locations/coventry-canal-basin-st-nicholas-street-coventry-cv1-4ly/ https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/events/2018-08-06-plastic-patrol-coventry-canal Please spread the word and tell people you know who might be interested in joining in, even if for an hour. The links give you time slots to sign up to. It's a shame it's on a weekday when many people may be working but would be fabulous if you're on holiday/have the morning off/can spare some time during the day. the day Valley Cruises will be providing their day trip boat to act as a floating base where participants can refresh themselves. It won’t be for collecting rubbish. They have advised to wear old clothing and strong footwear as participants will need to walk along the towpath.

As far as I know litter picking equipment will be provided but when I have done picks in the past, if you already have your own (preferred) litter picker/gloves feel free to bring them! On the Day they will meet at Coventry Basin at 9-30am. As advertised on the links they are expecting some people to join at various times during the day. Come if you can :) Finished the morning session - 9.30-11.20ish - managed to get on a paddle board but stayed on my knees or bum (too scared to stand!) and managed to grab bits and bobs of disintegrated floating pieces of plastic from the surface of the canal, cigarette butts on the side, a wrapped up used Always sanitary towel(!), old rusty cans filled with canal gunk and managed to grab some litter embedded along the bank opposite the towpath. Met some great people, including Mike (group member) who came out for his first pick with a couple of friends and also another lady who joined in after spotting us from her apartment! Hopefully we can set up some group litter picking sessions. Also met with some of the Canal & River Trust staff who run things in Birmingham and also the new Coventry Canal Basin towpath taskforce. Definitely could have been better organised from the #PlasticPatrol leader as there was a shortage of bags or inappropriately (small) sized litter bags for the people on the towpath and I was also left paddling on my own while the group had leaped several hundred metres ahead! Lucky I had Mike and the two ladies along the towpath keeping me company! When in a group I think it's important to keep an eye on everyone and also they had promised that if we wanted to leave at any point (if we could only dedicate an hour, for example) or if we weren't feeling comfortable on the board and wanted to get on to the path we could, but with the leader way up ahead not paying attention to us at the back or communicating too well, it was impossible. A great effort and idea but could be heaps better with small improvements :).

upcoming Events

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past Events

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