PICTURES: Volunteers take half a tonne of rubbish out of River Don in Sheffield

More than 100 volunteers have taken over half a tonne of rubbish out of the River Don as part of an annual clean up project.
By Dan Hayes
Published 24th Mar 2019, 15:31 BST
Updated 24th Mar 2019, 15:33 BST
The River Stewardship Company working with Don Catchment Rivers Trust organised the Great Sheffield River Clean-Up on the River Don between Neepsend and Kelham Island...........Pic Steve EllisThe River Stewardship Company working with Don Catchment Rivers Trust organised the Great Sheffield River Clean-Up on the River Don between Neepsend and Kelham Island...........Pic Steve Ellis
The River Stewardship Company working with Don Catchment Rivers Trust organised the Great Sheffield River Clean-Up on the River Don between Neepsend and Kelham Island...........Pic Steve Ellis

Waders and kayakers yesterday braved a 500 metre stretch of the River Don in Sheffield city centre between Ball Street bridge and the Gardeners Rest.

The rubbish they dredged up included nine car bumpers, a dozen tyres, two bikes, an off-road motorcycle, a lawnmower, a hoover and lots more.

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The River Stewardship Company working with Don Catchment Rivers Trust organised the Great Sheffield River Clean-Up on the River Don between Neepsend and Kelham Island...........Pic Steve EllisThe River Stewardship Company working with Don Catchment Rivers Trust organised the Great Sheffield River Clean-Up on the River Don between Neepsend and Kelham Island...........Pic Steve Ellis
The River Stewardship Company working with Don Catchment Rivers Trust organised the Great Sheffield River Clean-Up on the River Don between Neepsend and Kelham Island...........Pic Steve Ellis

Organiser, Jane Campbell, said the event had been ‘incredible’.

She said: “The energy has been awesome and what we got done was really impactful.

“Someone said it has taken a million careless acts to get our planet in the mess that it is currently in.

“But if we take part in a million careful acts this is something that we can solve.

The River Stewardship Company working with Don Catchment Rivers Trust organised the Great Sheffield River Clean-Up on the River Don between Neepsend and Kelham Island...........Pic Steve EllisThe River Stewardship Company working with Don Catchment Rivers Trust organised the Great Sheffield River Clean-Up on the River Don between Neepsend and Kelham Island...........Pic Steve Ellis
The River Stewardship Company working with Don Catchment Rivers Trust organised the Great Sheffield River Clean-Up on the River Don between Neepsend and Kelham Island...........Pic Steve Ellis

“We hope the clean up inspires others to take action.”

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The clean up was part of a whole weekend of environmental action timed to coincide with the annual Sheffield Adventure Film Festival.

As well as litter and debris removal from the river channel and banking, the volunteers also took part in cutting back and planting vegetation and bug hotel making.

The event also acted as a launch event for Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean which runs until April 23.

The River Stewardship Company working with Don Catchment Rivers Trust organised the Great Sheffield River Clean-Up on the River Don between Neepsend and Kelham Island...........Pic Steve EllisThe River Stewardship Company working with Don Catchment Rivers Trust organised the Great Sheffield River Clean-Up on the River Don between Neepsend and Kelham Island...........Pic Steve Ellis
The River Stewardship Company working with Don Catchment Rivers Trust organised the Great Sheffield River Clean-Up on the River Don between Neepsend and Kelham Island...........Pic Steve Ellis

The kayakers included paddlers from the Sheffield Hallam University and the Sheffield City Kayak Club as well as environmentalist Cal Major, the founder of Paddle Against Plastic.

Those interested in running their own events can sign up to a Keep Britain Tidy ‘Litter Hero’ at www.keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/volunteer/litter-heroes.  

Related topics:VolunteersSheffieldKeep Britain TidySheffield Hallam University