A FLOTILLA of paddleboards will appear on the River Avon in Evesham on a very special mission this weekend.
Organised by Kim Bonk of Bonkers Activities Paddleboarding School, the team will use paddleboards to access the river and clear litter from around the riverbanks in the Abbey Park area on Sunday (May 2).
Kim organises the litter picks in partnership with river guardians Avon Navigation Trust (ANT), who invite people to adopt a section of the river and whose youth ANT Squad’s duties include keeping the Avon tidy.
Bonkers has also notched up a first by adopting a river section – from Pershore Lock to Wyre Piddle Weir – as part of the Wychavon Adopt a Street anti litter campaign.
In addition, Bonkers is part of the global campaign Planet Patrol and monitors and records all the litter collected to fuel long term strategies and prevention.
“Paddleboards are the perfect platform for litter picking, as you can ram them right into the bushes and get to the litter you can’t reach from the bank or from bigger boats,” said Kim.
“It’s also a great way of enjoying being out on our lovely river.”
If you have a paddleboard or a canoe and a 2021 river license and would like to join the team, e-mail [email protected] to book a place.
Visit www.avonnavigationtrust.org/environment to adopt a section of the Avon or www.wychavon.gov.uk/waste-and-recycling/street-care-and-cleaning/adopt-a-street to adopt a street.
