• HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About
    • Our missions
  • PARTICIPATE
    • Our programs
    • Our eco-sup trip partners
    • Support us
  • COMMUNITY
    • The team
    • Our partners
    • Our network
  • BLOG
  • CALENDAR
  • FrançaisFrançais
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About
    • Our missions
  • PARTICIPATE
    • Our programs
    • Our eco-sup trip partners
    • Support us
  • COMMUNITY
    • The team
    • Our partners
    • Our network
  • BLOG
  • CALENDAR
  • FrançaisFrançais

London Paddle & Pick Campaign

14 April 2016
-
Non classé
-
By Séverine Vasselin

In April this year London was the scene for the launch of the first Paddle & Pick campaign which aims to draw attention to the problem of plastic pollution in our waterways. 80% of the rubbish found in our oceans comes from mainland Europe and unfortunately the Thames is part of the waterways that carry the rubbish out to the sea.

Between 8th-13th April 2016, paddlers, kayakists and other river users got together in 10 different locations to pick up rubbish on the riverbanks and in the water in order to raise awareness about plastic pollution in the centre of London. On the initiative of the Active 360 paddle club, Thames Estuary Partnership and Watertrek Foundation, a particularly festive launch day was organised on the Thames close to Hammersmith, the organisation of which was done by the Crabtree Pub. Around 50 volunteers met up early in the morning to take part in this first clean-up in partnership with Thames 21, Tideway and the Port of London Authority.

All the participants then met up again for dinner and to participate in a press conference moderated by French snowboarder Laurent Besse and Svein Rasmussen, creator of the Starboard brand and great windsurfing champion, Carolyn, creator of The Whale Company, and Ali of Rizboard Shorts present their fairtrade products and most notably some shorts made from recycled plastic bottles. The day finished back on the tide with a paddle up to Chiswick where we picked up more floating plastic and packaging on the way.

Svein commented : “ Thank you so much for putting on the event motivating so many people. How much better can it be than drifting down the Thames and picking trash as treasure, we are mad in most peoples eyes and I love it.”

The operations to pick up rubbish on foot and on water took place throughout London over 5 days, with Active 360 proposing new SUP clean-ups at Twickenham and at basins at Paddington, and Regent’s canal at Little Venice where the Green MP Sian Berry came to visit paddlers while workers from Merchant Square participated in the clean-up…in the rain. Edge canoes operate at Kew Bridge, London Kayaks at Greenwich, as well as EPIC SUP at Eels Island and Islington Boat Club at Islington.

All the clubs and partners that worked on the organisation of this first Paddle and Pick met-up again during a closing evening at the Crabtree pub which welcomed us again for an evening of prizes hosted by the adventurer Spike Reid, a prize draw took place to raise money and to thank the volunteers again.

The whole of Paddle & Pick was brought to life by a spirit of cooperation and exceptionally good humour and numerous people expressed their desire to join the cause with new projects. The creation of Watertrek UK is now underway and for sure the success of this first campaign wasn’t for nothing.

Tags
campaign
clean-up
Litter
London
plastic
Thames
waste
PREVIOUS POST
Watertrek launches EU Green Week in Lubjlana with 100 Paddlers
NEXT POST
Paddling from Angkor Wat to Tonlé Sap

Related Posts

Related posts that you should not miss.

Watertalk with French activist Laurent Lombard from Cannes

14 May 2015
-
Non classé

Laurent Lombard has always been a passionate diver. Born in French Var, Laurent grew up in Saint-Maxime and then moved to Cannes. A traveler and an adventurer, Laurent …

READ MORE →
By Séverine Vasselin
7 Min Read

Watertrek first clean-up in Brittany

4 June 2016
-
Non classé

As part of Sustainable Development week, Watertrek Bretagne was organizing a waste collection on Saturday, June 4th in Larmor-Plage – the very first event for the new-born local …

READ MORE →
By Séverine Vasselin
1 Min Read

Watertrek joins the International Conference Ocean Literacy for 4

20 December 2017
-
Non classé

On the initiative of Francesca Santoro – Head of the UNESCO Regional Office in Venice – Watertrek was invited in December 2017 to join he Ocean Literacy for …

READ MORE →
By Séverine Vasselin
1 Min Read
logo

Réalisation : Extremotion Communication
Tous droits réservés - Mentions légales

Copyright © Watertrek 2020
London Paddle & Pick Campaign
Nous utilisons des cookies pour vous garantir la meilleure expérience sur notre site web. Si vous continuez à utiliser ce site, nous supposerons que vous en êtes satisfait.Ok