On 22.09.20, our #CPHLitterHeroes went out in force for The Great British September Clean 2020 to tackle our litter problem at Cheswold Pond and the surrounding River Don area. Our volunteers, tools at the ready, spent two hours hunting for litter under bushes, in hedges (we spent a lot of time-fighting brambles!), and around the perimeter of our beautiful Pond.
Today we collected 6 full bags! The majority of which included discarded litter from irresponsible fishing at the pond. A sample of what we collected includes:
· A Duvet
· A Pillow
· Leftover Litter from Campfires
· Discarded Sweetcorn and Bait Tins
· Carrier Bags of Litter including bottles and tins of alcohol and fizzy drinks as well as countless confectionary wrappers
· A substantial amount of blue Rope tied onto a bike wheel and dumped in the pond
· Discarded Fishing Line and Hooks
Our volunteers were not impressed with the amount of litter overwhelming the idyllic scenery and grew more and more concerned about the impact this has on the resident wildlife at our pond.
According to the RSPCA website, Fishing Litter causes injury and death to thousands of wild animals every year. Swans are the most common wild bird affected, with large numbers admitted to RSPCA wildlife centers as a result of fishing litter. A report for the Environment Agency estimated that the RSPCA and other groups attend around 3,000 swans injured by fishing litter in Britain each year.
In order to tackle the issue, Angling organizations and the Environment Agency have produced Codes of Practice to encourage responsible behavior within the Fishing Community. And, of course, the protection of our Local Wildlife also greatly depends upon support from members of the public picking up litter as they see it or reporting this to their local council, as well depending on support from the Litter Picking Community. Thank Goodness our #CPHLitterHeroes were here to save the day!
We hope that you enjoy the much tidier area and join us in our mission to #KeepCheswoldTidy! We have so far collected 21 Bags of Discarded Litter around our local area which has been logged online and sent to The Keep Britain Tidy Organization, a charity currently hosting The Great British September Clean 2020 which was postponed this year since Spring due to Covid19. If you are interested in taking part in this Great Cause, You can pledge to pick here: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/.
Our #CPHLitterHeroes group aim to give back to the Cheswold and Local Doncaster Community. Learn more about responsible fishing and our Litter Picking Community Here:
https://www.anglers-nlrs.co.uk/
https://anglingtrust.net/about-us/
https://www.gov.uk/freshwater-rod-fishing-rules
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency
https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/litter/fishing
https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/
