The Canal & River Trust and Strictly Come Dancing winner Bill Bailey are calling on visitors to canals to boost their health and happiness and make a difference in their local communities by joining the fight against plastic pollution.
According to the Canal & River Trust, canals and rivers have been havens for mental and physical health during the pandemic, with more weekly visits to local towpaths since last March in many areas. However, this has been accompanied by a rise in littering, up 68% in 2020, putting the nation’s precious waterway wildlife habitats at risk and causing an unsightly problem.
By combining a Plastics Challenge litter pick with your local daily exercise by the Montgomery Canal people can help stop millions of pieces of plastic and litter from entering the canals and rivers each year.
Strictly Come Dancing winner, comedian and keen paddle boarder, Bill Bailey, said: “Plastic is a huge issue and it’s only going to take a massive effort of will to make an impact. If everyone gets involved by doing a little bit when they are out on the towpath, we can make a significant difference, catching it at source before it floats out to sea. Please join the Canal & River Trust’s Plastics Challenge to help make your local canal a place all of us can enjoy.”
It is incredibly simple to take part in Plastics Challenge, which is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Paddle board pros, reluctant runners, sunrise strollers and wildlife wanderers can combine these activities with a litter pick.
Our towpaths provide valuable green space in the heart of many communities and remain open so that people can enjoy exercise and being in the outdoors, close to nature close to home.
To make a pledge to support the Plastics Challenge, visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/plasticschallenge or follow us on social media @CanalRiverTrust #PlasticsChallenge
Thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery the Canal & River Trust has recently received support from its Postcode Climate Challenge initiative. This will go to support the charity’s Plastics Challenge and have an impact in helping to reduce plastics in our waterways.