Caring for Grantham's environment

What started in 2004 as a handful of residents clearing litter has developed into a well-respected community cause that oversees many aspects of local environmental care. Despite its growth, Grantham RiverCare’s purpose remains the same – cleaning up community spaces and protecting the eco-system of the river.

The group’s Co-Leader, Ian Simmons says: "What all our passionate volunteers have in common is wanting to make the river and surrounding areas enjoyable for everyone."

Volunteers venture out on a monthly basis and have collected an estimated 25 tonnes of litter over approximately 100 clean-ups. From trailers to mattresses and desktop computers, according to Ian - if an item can be dumped, Grantham RiverCare have probably cleared it!

Working alongside the Keep Britain Tidy and Rotary Club of Grantham Kesteven, the group has found new ways to recycle litter, including sending a mountain of discarded aluminium cans to the Helipads for Hospitals campaign, where the raw materials will be used to make emergency landing pads.

Grantham RiverCare was one of our current Community Champions and the group has big plans for the donation they received

Ian says: "We hope to purchase educational tools such as a ‘riverfly monitoring kit’ which will allow us to engage with groups to study the ecology of the river. Additionally, we plan to buy equipment for the future to ensure we can carry on our essential work on our 1.8 mile stretch of the River Witham."

Whether you’re interested in Himalayan balsam bashing or simply the strange satisfaction of picking crisp packets off a riverbank, you can get in touch at fb.me/rivercaregrantham or find your nearest river care group at www.rivercare.org.uk

Photography: David Martin