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.

 

First Litter Pick!

Coventry,CV6 5BD

25 Oct 2017

23:00

First Litter Pick! 5-5.30pm Bridges 1-3 This was a new experience which left me feeling quite disheartened with how much litter was collected and how inconsiderate people are dumping their rubbish everywhere. However, a very heavy, at least 6 or 7kg, almost ripping black bag was hauled home, slowly but surely. I picked cans, plastic bottles, glass bottles, paper/card boxes, sharp shards of tin cans (presumably from verges being mown? which could've done serious damage to creatures), miscellaneous bits of plastic (can rings, etc) and also fished out from the edge of the canal - an article of sexy lingerie(!) Sorted it all out upon my return home smelling like a pub - general waste in my green-lidded bin and the rest to be recycled in my blue-lidded bin. Picking litter sure is smelly and dirty work but it was nice to know I had saved that going into the canal or harming innocent animals and it made the world of difference when out walking the next morning..

upcoming Events

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past Events

Litter pick on way to work

Litter pick with CRT

Coventry Towpath Taskforce: 9.30-12 My very first time joining the Coventry towpath taskforce run by the Canal & River Trust (CRT), I joined a lovely group of volunteers at around 9.40 (the start time...

Talk at local festival

I will be giving a short talk at the 'Reclaiming Coventry Canal' festival organised by Cov Uni and the Peace House in Foleshill as part of the Positive Images festival. I will be telling my story of h...

Litter pick on way to work

Litter pick on way to work I haven't walked along the canal for around a week or two as I have had errands to run before work so have been walking a different way to work, it's the longest time I hav...

Bank Holiday Home Pick

Impromptu litter pick on my street For months, maybe embarrassingly even years I have wanted to tackle the gated albeit abandoned green space opposite my house full of brambles with rubbish inbetween ...

Clearing the reeds

Picking litter from the reeds and water in particular between bridge 3 and 2, on the bend of the canal Fresh after being chased by a moorhen dad last night on my walk home (I kid you not!) as I walked...

Quick litter pick on way to work

Litter pick by 'coil' art of canal art trail by bridge 3 This is a 'hotbed' for flytipping. I repeatedly report this to Council and CRT. The Council needs to start taking responsibility, even if it is...

Litter pick on way to work

Litter pick AM I planned to just pick the dumped stuff I saw at the side of the path mentioned in my Tues 26/02/19 PM event post. But of course I got carried away picking stuff that had gathered in th...

Litter pick on way to work

Litter pick - reeds/water pick AM Decided to do another pick focusing on what's in the water, specifically the litter gathered in and around the reeds and on the water surface - managed a very mucky ...

Litter pick on walk home from work

Litter pick - reeds/water pick PM Two litter picks in one day!!! This one was very frustrating and disheartening.. as i walked along the canal I spotted some over-enthusiastic (code for immature) magn...

Impromptu Litter Pick

Litter Pick The only good thing about finding a brand new plastic bag along your travels is there's no excuse not to pick litter as you see it! I spotted a makeshift bin someone had made with the four...

Litter pick on way to work

Litter pick (solo) on way to work I noticed over the past couple weeks a lot of rubbish has gathered in the reeds running alongside the towpath where ducks and moorhens have been nesting/living - plas...

Litter pick on way to work

Last litter pick of the year perhaps... Decided to do a litter pick as little and often seems to work really well for the stretch that I walk along. Picked up lots of strongbow cans including the card...

Litter pick on way to work

Day 2 of picking this week - I grabbed a bag from home and again just with my gloves began picking part way down the towpath and filled with all the bits of rubbish I had walked by the previous week ...

Litter pick on way to work

The towpath has been getting very messy lately and there have been lots of bits gathering in the water by the reeds. Instead of make my way with a litter picker (this is a lot of effort - carrying an...

Litter pick on way to work

Impromptu pick There was a partly wet and dirty empty blue plastic bag slightly blowing in the breeze on the towpath this morning. I thought I spotted the moorhens lingering around before they jumped...

Litter pick on way to work

Impromptu pick along the towpath The morning after the Plastic Patrol yesterday (Monday 6th August) - I cannot believe I still managed to find litter. It started with a plastic 4-can cover which led t...

Coventry Canal Plastic Patrol

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/coven...

Impromptu Litter Pick

Spotted around 10-15 sodden trodden on dirty bags for life on my way to work, quite close to the Canal Basin end today...I probably ought to have taken them to work/home and let them dry/cleaned them...

Impromptu Litter Pick

Saw a pile of plastic bags all in a heap - some were partially filled and some were completely empty! So I thought I would grab these as blackbirds and some other little birds were having around them...

Quick litter pick on way to work

Speedy pick on way to work with gloves (no picker) and a Bag for Life: 11.05-11.30am Did a quick litter pick on the way to work - not stopping for too long or lingering as I was only armed with my glo...

Litter pick on way to work

Pick 11am - 11.50am Filled one big blue IKEA bag today - plenty of rubbish...perhaps Community Payback has finished?? Emptied in litter bin away from towapth in Leicester row car park and informed Cou...

Litter pick on way to work

Friday pick! Let's do this...prepared with my gloves, trusted litter picker (it's short because I am!), ear muffs to keep me warm and a bag of birdseed for the little feathered angels I see along the ...

Litter pick on way to work

Got my litter picker and one blue plastic bag... Decided to just take out a bag and fill it but along the way I came along discarded bags so picked and filled them up too! See photo for the end pick.....

First litter pick of 2018!

Litter pick on way to work 11-11.30ish After having a week off with fever, I did my first litter pick of the new year. I was expecting lots of cans and potentially firework remnants from irresponsible...

Litter pick on way to work

Litter Pick Bridges 3-1 (yes in reverse order): 10.45-11.30am Spotted some more cans littered around the canal art sculpture by bridge 3 and other bits along the towpath recently so decided on a pick ...

Litter pick on way to work

Morning litter pick: 11-11.30am I wasn't expecting to do a litter pick but on my way in yesterday I noticed some inconsiderate folk had scattered their lager cans in front of the sculpture (often used...

Litter pick on way to work

Morning litter pick - 11-11.30am Hoping to pick up the two coats close to bridge 2 of Coventry Canal but ended up filling my trusty strong rubble bag from The Range (better than the supposedly 'extra ...

Litter pick on way to work

Another morning litter pick - 11-11.30am Picked up what looked like a student's notes and an almost entirely unused A4 lined notepad - what a waste! What are they learning?! Some abandoned spray cans ...

Litter pick on way to work

Litter pick 11-11.30am I didn't expect to collect much as the towpath has seemed quite clean since my big litter pick last month but my measley bag was filled to the rafters and just about made it to ...

Nearby Groups

These groups are near to you in case you want to contact them for advice, to offer them support or, for example, to share equipment with them.

Sanctuary Shaftesbury Reading
This estate clean up was organised by Matt Evans, Housing Officer of the area, and involved staff from the local Office, and contractors. The clean up involved clearing communal areas inside the flats, garages and the outside area. Going forward, it is hoped that a Residents Association will be formed, that will carry out litter picks and maybe start up a weekly gardening club.
200
3 years
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The Askews
Our area around Cornwallis is in a terrible state, with litter everywhere! Dog litter packets laying around, as dog walkers ignore bins and drop off points along the way. At the moment our group only consists of 2 people, Isabella and Tessi Askew. If anyone wants to join, please email tessi.askew19@gmail.com. We could widen the fight on litter. Every little bit helps! Let's return the respect the environment deserves!
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9 years
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Ainsdale Civic Society
Ainsdale Civic Society comprises an active group of people whose common aim is to make Ainsdale a better place to live, work and play.
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Greening Wingrove & Arthur\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Hill CIC
We are a neighbourhood co-operative, here to make the area greener and cleaner and promote local responses to the climate emergency.
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Forres Community Clean Up
I have set up this group as I have been cleaning the burn near the Mosset Tavern since early 2011. The river fills up with plastic, glass and an assortment of garbage on a regular occasion. I am barely making any in roads into keeping the river clean and so I thought it would be great to have other community member join in to help. Together we can make the river a great place for the enjoyment of the community. In 2016, we merged our group with Forres Community Clean Up, a local group that cleans the streets and public places in Forres. Joe Pirnie is the co-ordinator of this group
464
13 years
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Cronton Pathways Project
We are a revitalised 'clean-up' group of some 20 years' standing which incorporated collaboration with other agencies such as the Environment Agency, TCV, Highways and Groundwork as well as improving communication with our LA, local farmers and schools. Our aims broadened to include two new elements, namely education on litter and LA backed health walks. The latter has enabled people to enjoy our rural pathways, which are now regularly litter-picked, and at the same time build up their stamina in walking for health. In 2011, through fundraising, we were able to purchase two community notice boards to further publicise local events and amenities and our aims. We were very grateful to Groundwork Merseyside for installing them. It continues to be very satisfying to see people reading the notices displayed there and to see some new helpers on our litter-picks and new walkers on our health walks as a result. Both noticeboards were renovated this year, 2018 with help from a grant from Cronton Parish Council, for which we thank them. Our LA, Knowsley MBC, has always been supportive but In recent years, due to funding cuts to LAs we have had reduced contact with them, although they continue to help us by removing the bags of litter we collect on our biannual litter picks. We forged links with one of our neighbouring LAs, Halton, with a view to liaising on littering of our border areas. They provided us with litter-pickers and bags. This has made a big difference to our effectiveness. Updated 24.3.2018
1306
15 years
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Notton Parish Council
We are a village parish council with an aim to keep our locality clear of litter with occasional group litter picks supplemented by regular picks by volunteers who wish to 'adopt' a local patch to keep clear.
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10 years
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Pick it up Ponty
It seems to be the case that littering is becoming more of a problem in recent years and something needs to be done to address this! Please contact If you wish to get involved :)
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Friends Of Crosby Beach
We carry out and organise monthly beach clean-ups on Crosby and Waterloo beaches. We also try to raise awareness of plastic pollution and what it does to wildlife and our environment.
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St. Briavels Beautifiers
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1
14 years
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Start a LitterAction group

Here at CleanupUK, we want to help you to take LitterAction! Wherever you live in the UK, forming your own community litter-picking group will help to keep your community safer, more friendly and free of litter. It’s lots of fun too. Why not muck in and join us?

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