Canal Clean-up – 7 May 2022

Banbury Rotary Club in Action – Saturday 7^th May

A platoon of six Rotarians reported for duty at 9am precisely in Bridge Street Park to rid the River Cherwell, Mill Race and Oxford Canal banks of carelessly strewn litter. The Thames Valley Clean-up of rivers and canals was the local District’s weekend of ‘Rotary in Action’. “The Environment” is Rotary’s 7^th and newest area of focus.

Here in Banbury, the Rotary Club was playing its part. Armed with equipment provided by Cherwell District Council and supported by a Banbury Town Council Park Ranger, the platoon cleansed the banks of the Cherwell between the Railway Bridge and the Car Park at Spiceball Park and the Oxford Canal from the Community Garden to Tom Rolt Bridge.

The nearest we got to a “Don’t Panic Mr Mannering”-moment was just five minutes into our project: our grappling hook became seemingly stuck midstream in a mud-filled shopping trolley forever and we had zilch to show for our efforts! However, by the end of the morning litter-filled bags bedecked Steve’s Cherwell support vehicle (pic 1)-
and we had reclaimed one large plastic bin from the river – our major coup of the morning – requiring the expertise of our grappling hook-wielding Club President Malcolm! (pics 2&3).

At the heart of our work as the Rotary Club of Banbury we wish to support and encourage all that is good in our locality. For the small group of us representing the club on this occasion, it was apparent that Banbury Town and Cherwell District Councils, Castle Quay developers and managers, the Canals and Rivers Trust and The Environment Agency are working together with local voluntary groups in the community to create a clean , attractive and welcoming atmosphere for local inhabitants and visitors to our town. By working together we shall make a difference!

You can read a fuller report here.

Report by Rtn Fred Riches