Volunteers pleased riverside ‘blitz’ finds amount of rubbish has reduced

VOLUNTEERS carried out a “plastic blitz” from Marsh Lock to Hambleden Lock on Sunday.

Ten people, including members of Henley Rotary Club, Greener Henley and residents, took part in the event which was organised by the club for the fifth year running.

The clean-up was in support of Thames21, which campaigns for clean rivers, and the Environment Agency. It was part of an effort by Rotary clubs cleaning up their section of the river from Windsor to Oxford.

Henley Rotarians met volunteers and handed out litter pickers, reflective vests and rubbish bags which had been provided by South Oxfordshire District Council.

They tackled different sections along the river including Mill Meadows, over Marsh Lock footbridge towards Wargrave Road and the Buckinghamshire bank of the river.

Together, the volunteers collected one-and-a-half bags of waste and one bag of recyclable litter.

Phil Fletcher, secretary of Henley Rotary Club, said the area was much cleaner than previous years after 11 bags of rubbish were collected during the “blitz” last year.

He said: “Hopefully, the public are being more diligent, cleaning up after them and not chucking their rubbish but instead taking it home and putting it in waste bins.

“When we first started, the idea was to create awareness of the problem and with the very first one we did, we collected an enormous amount of rubbish. It was unbelievable.

“But over the years the amount of waste we collect has come down.”

Among the items collected were a children’s toy, cigarette ends, plastic bottles and drink cans.

Ann Tully, who lives on Rod Eyot and took part, said: “I focused on picking up litter on the barges along the River & Rowing Museum side and then went down to the Friday Street Slipway.

“I took out toys, balls and bottles and a plastic bag which was filled with milk bottles, cartons and debris. But it has not been quite as bad as previous years.

“Hopefully, people are thinking more about the planet and are aware of the repercussions.”