More than 1,000 hours spent cleaning Witham this year

Thirty four volunteers, from eight to eighty, turned out on Saturday 26th November for Grantham RiverCare’s last litter pick of 2022.

In total, volunteers have contributed nearly 1,000 hours of their time this year to ensure our stretch of the River Witham stays as clean and healthy as possible as it passes through the town.

This was our last gathering this year and, to mark it, we were joined by Grantham Mayor Graham Jeal who commented, “The Rivercare Team Grantham are one of the things that make our town a great place to live – civic champions that take it upon themselves to make a difference and volunteer to clean up the area around the River Witham in Grantham.

“The riverside walk is a much loved part of the town – cyclists, dog walkers, runners and people just out for a walk really value this oasis that runs very close to the town centre. I was delighted to volunteer, it really feels like you are making a difference whilst meeting like minded people. I look forward to joining them again in the new year to help keep Grantham tidy.”

With recent rainfall raising the water levels, we stayed on the banks only allowing our ‘wet team’ so enter under controlled conditions to grab the most inaccessible litter.

As usual, we collected a bumper crop of rubbish – and it is only a month since the last clean up!

Our haul this month included high number of drinks containers – 53 glass bottles, 107 plastic bottles and a shocking 182 cans – not forgetting a shopping trolley, a Hovis bread trolley, glass plate, scooter, multiple buckets and a traffic cone.

We will be back in February with a continued conviction to keep our stretch of river healthy and clean through 2023. Our Fresh Water Watchers will continue to monitor water quality over the festive period. No rest for the dedicated!

Volunteers were rewarded with home made sausage rolls, soup and fruit cake.

A final word of thanks to those who support our efforts including Keep Britain Tidy, Anglian Water – Love Every Drop, the Environment Agency, Lions, East Mercia Rivers Trust, SKDC Street Scene staff, SKDC & ESK Wyndham Park staff and the donations from Grantham Angling Association Fly Fishing Section, Lincolnshire Co-op, Rotary Club of Grantham, Grantham Lions Club, Moto Foundation that has enabled us to continue our work.

If you would like to get involved, please get in touch, either through our Facebook page or give us a call, to register your interest.

Find us on Facebook (search ‘RiverCare Grantham’).

For more information – Ian Simmons (07950

000928) or David Martin (07739 864490)