The UK's LARGEST inland waterways publication

The Wet Web: December 2011

BILL Bryson, President of the Campaign for Rural England (CPRE), said that so much litter lies along the roadsides that it sometimes seems as if you’re driving through a large, informal, linear tip. The same could be said of our canal banks.

One person who feels strongly about this is Will Ward. He’s set up the ‘narrowboat Wilvir’ group at www.litteraction.org.uk, a campaign run by the CPRE and the charity CleanupUK to encourage community action on litter. As CleanupUK’s website says: “Much of the job of keeping our community tidy is down to us.”

Will’s ‘group’ currently consists of him and his wife, Virginia. Of course, there’s no need to join a group to pick up litter but Litteraction would like you to register with it, as it gives an idea of the extent to which volunteers are clearing up mess, and just how much there is out there. It also offers back-up in the way of sacks, hi-vis vests and posters to help drum up support. You can record how many bags of litter have been collected (45 bags at Will’s last count), which carries its own satisfaction.

Will certainly finds it worthwhile. “It’s rewarding in many ways in terms of the new friends we’ve made, the pleasure of removing things that don’t belong and preventing unnecessary suffering to wildlife and pets that discarded fishing bait tins, plastic bags, disposable barbecues and other rubbish causes.”

The Litter Action website holds lots of information on litter-collecting matters, including the little known Litter Abatement Order, which can be used to force public landowners to clear up litter eye-sores. A guide by the CPRE is available, and as an abatement order has so far never been issued, they would love to hear from you if you succeed.

Over 400 teams are already established, and you can, if you want, set up your own (‘groups’ of one are allowed), but Will is hoping you’ll join him in a countrywide group dedicated to cleaning up the waterways “wherever we’re moored!”

Stocking fillers

Will doesn’t just pick up litter, however, and on a more light-hearted note, if you’re looking for a fun stocking filler, and possibly a bit of nostalgia, then his Puddle Steamer might fit the bill (find it at his blog, www.moblog.net/wilvir). In various colours, making a ‘pop-pop’ sound as it powers its way through the water (one customer delighted his dinner guests by setting one going on a water-filled tray on the table), it’s a toy that will take many back to their childhood, as well as entrance a new generation.

Meanwhile, as Bruce, a retired clinical psychologist, blogs about life aboard Sanity Again, his wife Sheila is busy crocheting porthole doilies, among other things, and offers some lovely traditional designs. Photographs of designs are on the blog, where you can also make contact (http://nbsanity.blogspot.com).

I mentioned SeaSpace Solutions (www.seaspacesolutions.com) a couple of months ago in relation to laundry bags, but can’t resist mentioning them again as another rather cute little present would be the Mini Bag. It has a turn buckle (illustrated on the website) which can be glued or screwed into a nook or cranny (indoors or out), giving you a helpful somewhere to store small things like keys before they go AWOL.