Grantham RiverCare remind us it is time once again for the Great British Spring Clean
As the daffodils begin to bring colour back to a grey, damp Grantham it is time once again for the Great British Spring Clean!, write Ian Simmons and David Martin of Grantham RiverCare.
While the cynical among you may be thinking “We had one last year, why another?”, unfortunately the need to undertake this seasonal chore remains ever present - the littering of our streets and river continues unabated.
Keep Britain Tidy have been banging their drum for 70 years now having been formed as part of the Women’s Institute. The campaign runs from 15th to 31st March.
Grantham RiverCare work with Keep Britain Tidy and will be involved, as ever, with a special Great British Spring Clean outing on 16th March. However, you don’t need to wait for us. You can pledge to do your bit by registering at keepbritaintidy.org.
Last year we as a nation collected an amazing (if you like big numbers) or depressing (if you prefer!) more than 400,000 bags of litter.
The KBT message this year is that the environment belongs to everyone and despoiling it unnecessarily affects everyone. Here at RiverCare HQ (hidden away at the bottom of an extinct volcano) we like to go out most months, but the extra help volunteered by individuals, businesses and schools during the campaign is always appreciated. This time of year sees litter appear that has been hiding in plain sight. The heavy rain and swollen river Witham has revealed some really old - and we mean really old! - examples including a 20 year old crisp packet and a 40 year old drinks can.
We are hoping for a bumper March clean this year as the river levels are starting to fall, the flow is slowing and the water is beginning to clear. This makes it easier for our ‘river team’ to rescue those items that have remained frustratingly out of reach for the last few months, always a satisfying result all round!
It hasn’t been a really harsh winter this year, although it has been very, very wet. This pattern is likely to repeat itself as climate change continues to nibble away at what we have previously considered ‘normal’.
We can’t know what this year is likely to throw at us, but our 2024 programme is planned to tackle it, so if you want to join our merry throng on our monthly cleans just search Facebook for RiverCare Grantham.
