The Lea Navigation

Call for volunteers as 'Big Waterways Clean Up 2012' kicks off   
East London's rivers and canals set for Spring clean ahead of 2012 Games
Teams of canoeists will tackle hard to reach rubbish

Olympic Gold medallist and 2012 hopeful Mark Hunter will today launch a call for volunteers to roll up their sleeves and help clean and green East London's rivers and canals ahead of the London 2012 Games (Wednesday, February 8th).

The new campaign aims to involve at least 4000 Londoners in more than 80 events, transforming over 50 waterway locations along 30km of rivers and canals by July 2012 when the eyes of the world turn to the capital. Events will include walking waterway litter-picks, wildflower meadow planting and non-native invasive weed removal.

The campaign has wide support from political, sporting and charitable individuals and is part of the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's plans to support widespread clean up events to ensure visitors during the London 2012 Games are welcomed to a grime and litter-free city.

British rower, Mark Hunter, who won Olympic Gold in Beijing and who is going for Gold again in London, has signed up as an ambassador for the Big Waterways Clean Up 2012 campaign, which will be kicked off by Waterway Minister Richard Benyon and the Mayor of London's Environment Director Kulveer Ranger today as they litter-pick along the banks of the River Lee Navigation. They were joined by eager local volunteers and children from Gainsborough School, as well as a team of canoeists who skimmed the river of hard-to-reach rubbish.

Mark encouraged people of all ages to get involved and help put the best of the capital on show this summer, saying: "The rivers of London are what first inspired me to take up rowing and are now obviously a huge part of my life. I feel quite privileged to have such access to rivers, and I think we have a great responsibility to look after them. I urge all Londoners to get involved in the Big Waterways Clean Up 2012 and help improve these amazing spaces and create an example for the world this summer".

Minister for environment and fisheries Richard Benyon said: "Rivers are a much loved part of where we live and the Big Waterways Clean Up is an excellent example of how communities can turn their local environment into an area they can be proud of. I am delighted that I have been able to give a helping hand to clean up what will be a focal point for visitors when they come to London to visit the Olympic Games."

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "Cleaning up London especially in this historic year, is a key priority for me but also for the hundreds of volunteers who put in their time and effort to keep the city in tip top condition. Our waterways and canals are some of our most precious assets, so supported by my Team London volunteer programme, I am backing this call to swell the numbers of people donating their time to keep them free of grime and alien vegetation."

Seb Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games said: "The Inspire programme is ensuring the legacy of the 2012 Games starts now as projects like the Big Waterways Clean Up 2012 are enabling people in east London to make positive life changes."

The Big Waterways Clean Up 2012 has been developed hand in hand with local communities and aims to allow as many people as possible to take part in and share in the green legacy of the London 2012 Games. It aims to inspire and support the next generation to care for their water spaces, with planned hands-on 'waterway discovery days' and an education pack developed especially for school children.

Thames21's training programme, which will run alongside the programme, will ensure the sustainability of the campaign, by equipping volunteers who want to lead their own events with the skills, confidence and support to do so.

There has already been a huge upgrade to canals near to the Olympic site which has created a fantastic legacy for the capital and now we want to build on this to clean-up more of East London's waterways.

The Big Waterways Clean Up 2012 is a partnership campaign, led by environmental charity Thames21, between London Waterways Commission, Environment Agency, British Waterways, London 2012 Changing Places programme, Mayor of London, Team London, Olympic Park Legacy Company, Port of London Authority, London Councils, City of London Corporation, and the Inland Waterways Association.

For more information on the campaign and to sign up see Thames21's website or contact Ben Fenton by e-mail or phone 07920 230 970