Dates announced for Towpath Tidy 2010
7 December 2009
British Waterways announces that next year’s Towpath Tidy will be taking place from 1—14 March 2010. The annual spring clean brings environmental benefits to the nation’s canals and rivers and supports the year-round work carried out by British Waterways.
Organisations and volunteers are urged to join British Waterways’ staff in the clean up and get involved in a series of activity days that will take place across the UK. Further details of events will be announced nearer the time.
British Waterways is calling for a mammoth effort in 2010 to beat the excellent results achieved in 2009, which saw the most successful Towpath Tidy event ever. More than 1,700 volunteers joined 635 members of British Waterways’ staff in clearing 149 tonnes of litter, painting bridges, locks, fences and graffiti covered walls, and cutting back vegetation. Events took place in 110 locations across the UK and volunteers helped on 216 miles of towpath.
In 2009, Towpath Tidy was supported by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) as part of its Stop the Drop campaign. Bill Bryson, best-selling author and President of the CPRE, said at the time: “Britain’s waterways are of vital importance, providing everyone with the opportunity to experience their cities, towns and countryside from a unique and tranquil perspective. It’s a disgrace that some people choose to treat their waterways as an open litter bin or as a place to dump their discarded waste.”
In addition to CPRE, Towpath Tidy 2009 was supported by Keep Britain Tidy’s The Big Tidy Up campaign and the leading inland waterways charity the Inland Waterways Association, as well as a number of canal societies and trusts.
For media enquiries please contact:
Fran Read, British Waterways
T. 020 7985 7276 M 07796 610 427
fran.read@britishwaterways.co.uk
Notes to editors:
Towpath Tidy is an annual event run by British Waterways. During Towpath Tidy in March 2009 over 149 tonnes of rubbish were collected by volunteers and staff on 216 miles of the waterways network. Water-bound debris ranged from the ubiquitous shopping trolly to skips, scaffolding, gas cylinders, plastic bags and more unusual items such as a photocopier, an aeroplane propellor and a fridge full of food.
British Waterways cares for 2,200 miles of the nation's canals and rivers. Rich in heritage, abundant in wildlife and teeming with activity, inland waterways are as popular today as they've ever been. Half the population lives within five miles of one of our waterways and an incredible 11 million people use them every year as part of their everyday life – as a short-cut to work, for walking the dog or simply for taking time-out and watching the boats. British Waterways' job is to ensure the waterways attract enough investment to be well maintained and remain appealing to society and the local communities through which they pass.
www.britishwaterways.co.uk
CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquility and diversity of rural England. It advocates positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside. Founded in 1926, it has 60,000 supporters and a branch in every county. President: Bill Bryson. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen. www.cpre.org.uk