The River Aire gets set for a spring clean

The Towpath Tidy event sees volunteers join forces with British Waterways staff, along with partners of the Aire Action Leeds initiative including Leeds City Council, Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency, in clearing litter and graffiti from the canals and rivers. This year the clean up will focus on a stretch of waterway between the Royal Armouries and Knostrop Flood Lock.

Important wildlife benefits

The event will bring important wildlife benefits as well as improving the appearance of the canals and rivers. People with a passion for the environment can take part and help battle against discarded litter, remove dumped shopping trolleys, prams, traffic cones and other unusual objects that are sometimes left by the waterways, in an effort to keep them clean, safe and beautiful.

The Towpath Tidy event follows on from the successes of 2007 when Aire Action Leeds won the Partnership Project of the Year Award in Leeds City Council’s Community & City Pride Awards. Last years event demonstrated that the partners can work together and provide great benefits for the waterways and their waterfront, making them a better place for communities to use. The day turned out to be a tremendous success with a vast array of materials being collected, including over 18 tonnes of waste, 29 tyres and 40 bin bags of recyclable plastics, cans and glass.

It's vital we look after our waterways

Laurence Morgan, general manager for British Waterways Yorkshire said: "The waterways are important to so many people. It’s vital we look after them as they are becoming used by more and more people. Towpath Tidy events like these are a great way of encouraging people to help care for the waterways and protect an integral part of our national heritage."

Aire Action Leeds Project Officer, Ruth Bull, said: "Getting different partners and organisations to work together proved to be tremendously successful last year, which ended up with us winning the Community & City Pride Award. Hopefully, with the support or local businesses and volunteers, we can be even more successful this year and make some really positive environmental impacts."

A whole host of local business have already come forward to support the event with Biffa providing skips on the day, Community Support Officers from West Yorkshire Police in attendance and representatives from Carlsberg also be supporting the event. Breakfast is kindly being provided by Jury’s Inn to get people energised for the day ahead.

For a full list of Towpath Tidy activities taking place up and down the country visit Towpath Tidy 2008. To ensure that the event is both fun and safe, volunteers must register with British Waterways in advance.

If you’re interested in joining up with the Towpath Tidy please contact: Ruth Bull, Aire Action Leeds Project Officer,tel: 0113 281 6804 or email ruth.bull@aireactionleeds.org.uk.

Find out more about the River Aire