Traffic cones, wheelie bins and shopping trolleys are among items hauled out of local canals and the River Trent by volunteers.
They give up their time to keep the waterways as clean as possible and are hoping others will join the fight.
Barbara Hillier is a lead volunteer on the Nottingham and Beeston canal for the Nottingham Canal and River Trust and she has outlined just why their efforts are so important.
“You don’t want to see a duck choking on a crisp packet, do you?" she said.
"Cigarette butts and packets are found a lot, there’s not a huge amount of litter bins by the canal but that’s no excuse. Litter is worse in the summer, but you see it more in the winter.
“It’s not a hard job at all, it’s a delight, you’ve got wildlife and it’s outdoors, it doesn’t feel like a job, it’s a joy but we do need more volunteers. We just want to make the environment as clean as possible.”
When out litter picking, some of the main things volunteers are finding can be as bizarre as industrial wheelie bins and shopping trolleys. Other items include shiny chocolate papers, face coverings, fishing magnets, traffic cones and other plastics.
Volunteers also find rusty, heavy fishing magnets which cause issues for wildlife in or out of the water.
Mrs Hillier mentioned that not all litter can be blamed on pedestrians, she says some comes from people who live in boats but that the danger to wildlife is the same.
“Paper masks are a hazard as wildlife can get entangled in them and someone had saved a swan who had a fish hook around its neck," she said.
"The boaters around here do know each other and some of them do their bit so it’s a community effort.”
She also lives on one of the boats and has seen more students coming forward to help the Trust.
Currently, there are around a dozen volunteers.
Mrs Hillier highlighted why the work volunteers are so important: “There’s a real advantage of volunteering, if you use the tow path, are a dog walker, live on the boats or having any of those perspectives, it’s easy to become a volunteer.
"People can just turn up if they like, just to try it, we're not asking people to sign their life away but we do need more volunteers. It's good for your mental well being and we're helping people on universal credit at the moment who are at a disadvantage to give them a leg up who can then go onto an apprenticeship."
The Trust also has plans to renovate areas, making the canal more attractive after getting rid of graffiti.
“We’re wanting to do graffiti removal, not all of it is offensive but we’re wanting supplies to get rid of some of it and provide sports markings and street furniture in the area.”
Last summer (2021), the Trust gained funding of £10,000 from Coco Cola and have received help from Nottingham City Council in the past but say they are in need of more assistance.
Phil Mulligan, regional director for the Canal & River Trust has said: “In recent years it has been shown by many organisations that volunteering can have a big impact on your health and wellbeing and improve life satisfaction. And whilst all community volunteering is good for you, volunteering by water with the Canal & River Trust is particularly good for a healthy mind and body.
“With an exciting year ahead of us, we are on the look-out for people in Nottinghamshire to join the team in a wide variety of roles.
“These past months, we’ve seen local canals and the River Trent become a back garden for everyone. Thousands of people have been discovering these special green spaces on their doorsteps. Whether you are looking to boost your wellbeing, get fit and active, or just make a new year’s resolution to give something back; join the thousands of people already benefitting from volunteering by water and #ActNowForCanals.”
Litter pickers meet every other Tuesdays and there are opportunities to apply online to become a Ranger.
To view the range of volunteering opportunities available visit here.
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