The inspiring actions of big-hearted volunteers from The Don Catchment Rivers Trust have been heralded after they were joined on a recent riverside clean-up by local MP, Toby Perkins.
Volunteers collected almost 20 bags of rubbish, including scores of vodka bottles, beer and drinks cans, crisp packets and even an old saw blade which were sat by the River Rother riverside at Birdholme’s ‘Clubby Field’, and could have been blown or swept into the watercourse.
During Thursday’s session, volunteers worked together to remove litter and debris from the river and surrounding banks, helping to improve local wildlife habitats and keep the area clean for the community.
Toby Perkins said, I am very grateful to Debbie from the Don Catchment Rivers Trust for inviting me along. The work Trust staff and dedicated volunteers do cleaning up our rivers and the surrounding areas is making a real difference to reducing pollution, protecting wildlife and preventing blockages that could contribute to flooding. Today’s litter picking session was very windy but we managed to clean up a significant amount of litter, plastics and other debris.”
Volunteers regularly carry out clean-up work across Chesterfield’s rivers and canals, including along the River Hipper, Holme Brook near Ravenside Retail Park, and sections of the Chesterfield Canal such as the Brampton Branch, Renishaw, and the Hollingwood Hub. Equipped with waders and specialist tools, volunteers remove a wide range of waste from waterways and riverbanks, including larger items such as shopping trolleys and bicycle parts.
Toby added, “Local residents will also be pleased to know that the Environment Agency contractors have been carrying out winter walkthroughs on the Rivers Hipper and Rother, removing debris and vegetation to help manage flood risk. I am very grateful for any work being done to reduce flooding and protect our environment.”
The group meet regularly to address litter issues in various riverside parks over the course of the year and have worked at Queen’s Park and Holmebrook Valley Park as well as Birdholme Field in the past. Members of the public who would like to join the Don Valley volunteers on their next clean-up can find out more details at:
https://dcrt.org.uk/volunteering/
