Grantham RiverCare looks back at 2024

As 2024 moves inevitably towards 2025, we thought a look back over the last twelve months would keep us warm through the cold, damp days that lie ahead, writes Ian Simmons and David Martin, co-leads of Grantham RiverCare.

One special moment stands out for us. We finally saw the otters that have been using the Witham as a larder.

Having heard so many people excitably explaining when and where they saw them frolicking, we were starting to think we would never see them.

However, one morning, in broad daylight and with people walking along the Riverside path adjacent Sedgewick Meadows, there they were!

Sleekly swimming, smoothly and without creating a ripple, they carried on as though we weren’t even there.

Definitely a highlight up there with the flash of the turquoise Kingfisher that always brightens any day.

Back to reality, this year can be remembered for a number of things. Our tally of littered items continued to break (our) records. Well over 1,000 bags collected, more than 1,500 vaping items and over 4,000 cans, bottles and other drinks containers.

Grantham does seem to be a thirsty town!

We took part in the heritage weekend held in September with a riverside walk remembering the old mills that represented a working river that helped feed the townsfolk over the last few hundred years.

Media reports have highlighted the benefits of getting outdoors whenever possible to improve one’s state of mind.

Being ‘in Nature’ is now seen as a major boost to overall health and well being.

Putting one foot in front of the other to move more is also recommended. We are lucky enough to have two miles of meandering river running no more than a few hundred yards from the centre of town.

If you are one of those people who like to make resolutions at this time of year, why not resolve to explore this green corridor to fully appreciate what we have on our doorsteps?

To end this, our twentieth year, let’s borrow a line from the new campaign from Keep Britain Tidy, ‘Love where you live’. This sums up our attitude succinctly.

Take a while to appreciate what we have and help us keep it as lovely as we can.

Festive greetings from all our wonderful volunteers at Grantham RiverCare to you kind reader.

We hope to see you next year as we continue to clean up Grantham and bring pride to our town and river.