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 of 2018!

Coventry,CV6 5BD

10 Jan 2018

00:00

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 drunks and other people who seem to think it's ok to litter. Sadly there were plenty of cans in places but I now have a good technique where I collect all recyclables in my Sainsbury's Bag for Life and then empty it in my work mixed recycling bin :) And I collect all regular other rubbish in a bin bag which I dispose of in a bin at the end of my canal walk. Sadly this week I also saw what looked like intestines (entrails or something) hanging out of a black bin bag which had been dumped on the towpath. When I mentioned it to the Council they instructed me to call the Police ASAP. So I did...

clearly they weren't bothered as the next day on my walk I saw that they had emptied the entire bag and what I thought was internal offal-looking stuff and left it looking even worse than before - they could've taken it away and disposed of it surely! And the Council was more bothered about me calling the Police and telling them I had done so than offering to help with cleaning it up, surprise surprise. Also they told me Coventry City Council is not responsible for litter along the Canal. Seriously. Thanks as always Coventry City Council. And an extra special thanks to West Midlands Police too - clearly littering is not a big deal for them..

upcoming Events

No upcoming events

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.....

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 ...

First Litter Pick!

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 eve...

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.

Bushey Clean up crew
Melbourne Road and surrounding roads in Bushey.
7
3 years
View
Bellingdon & Asheridge
Provide community facilities for residents
0
6 years
View
Deptford Pickup
Group for volunteer litter pickers in Deptford area
0
3 years
View
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
View
Whitmore&keele
I live in a rural part of Staffordshire we aim to provide safe and clean areas that our children and children's children can be proud of and to be able to drive or walk down our countries lanes without seeing all this rubbish.
0
12 years
View
Bow Pickers
We will go out once a week over the weekend to pick up litter in the local area. Nice way to meet new people and tidy up the local area!
21
6 years
View
Hunsbury Meadows
Parish Council event
0
9 years
View
Mid Ulster Community Clean Up
A group to promote and celebrate the litter picking activities of individuals and groups in Mid Ulster
0
5 years
View
Snettisham Beach Clean
We clean beaches for the protection of wildlife and have successfully lobbied West Norfolk council for a ban on the mass release of balloons and sky lanterns. We clean beaches around the coast of West Norfolk.
100
9 years
View
Edenbridge
The aim of this group is to encourage habitual collection of local litter (and organised group collections) and to dispose of it properly (recycling it whenever possible) especially along the River Eden, while trying to set an example for other local residents to follow.
0
15 years
View

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?

Empower your group